Question

I need to convert a string like

"UTC - 9:30 hours"

to minutes.

Something like:

var date = "UTC - 9 : 10 hours";
date = date.replace("UTC",'').replace("hours",'').replace(/\s+/g, '');
var hours = parseInt( date.split(":")[0] );
var minutes = parseInt ( date.split(":")[1] || 0 );
var sign = hours / Math.abs(hours);
var totalMinutes = ( hours * 60 ) + ( sign * minutes );

Can there be an easier way using any regexp? Just curious.

Answer 1

Please be patient…is it too trivial something like this?

string input = "UTC - 9:30 hours";
Match m = Regex.Match(input, @"(?<sign>-?)\s?(?<hours>\d+)\s?:\s?(?<minutes>\d+)");
int sign = m.Groups["sign"].Value == "-" ? -1 : 1;
int hours = int.Parse(m.Groups["hours"].Value);
int minutes = int.Parse(m.Groups["minutes"].Value);
int totalMinutes = (hours * 60 + minutes)*sign;

oh sorry…you talked about javascript. I posted a c# code..well never mind then.
Anyway the regular expression remains valid.

But to answer your question, no it’s not easier at all as you can see.

p.s.: I handled the sign in a different way just because I didn’t understand your point, and there are lots of ? operators just to allow a looser pattern.