DevGuru VBScript Object: Matches Collection



			OBJECT: Matches Collection Implemented in version 5.0 The Matches Collection is a collection of objects that contains the results of a search and match operation that uses a regular expression. Simply put, a regular expression is a string pattern that you can compare against all or a portion of another string. However, in all fairness, be warned that regular expressions can get very complicated. The RegExp object can be used to search for and match string patterns in another string. A Match object is created each time the RegExp object finds a match. Since, zero or more matches could be made, the RegExp object actually return a collection of Match objects which is refered to as a Matches collection. The following code is a simplier, working version of a program published by Microsoft. Note how the For Each ... Next statement is used to loop through the Matches collection. Code: <% 'this sub finds the matches Sub RegExpTest(strMatchPattern, strPhrase) 'create variables Dim objRegEx, Match, Matches, StrReturnStr 'create instance of RegExp object Set objRegEx = New RegExp 'find all matches objRegEx.Global = True 'set case insensitive objRegEx.IgnoreCase = True 'set the pattern objRegEx.Pattern = strMatchPattern 'create the collection of matches Set Matches = objRegEx.Execute(strPhrase) 'print out all matches For Each Match in Matches strReturnStr = "Match found at position " strReturnStr = strReturnStr & Match.FirstIndex & ". Match Value is '" strReturnStr = strReturnStr & Match.value & "'." & "<BR>" & VBCrLf 'print Response.Write(strReturnStr) : Next End Sub 'call the subroutine RegExpTest "is.", "Is1 is2 Is3 is4" %> Output: Match found at position 0. Match Value is 'Is1'. Match found at position 4. Match Value is 'is2'. Match found at position 8. Match Value is 'Is3'. Match found at position 12. Match Value is 'is4'. PROPERTIES Count Property Returns an integer that tells us how many Match objects there are in the Matches Collection. Syntax: object.Count Item Property The Item property allows us to retreive the value of an item in the collection designated by the specified key argument and also to set that value by using itemvalue. Syntax: object.Item(key) [ = itemvalue]