Javascript regex split reject null

Question

Is it possible to make a JavaScript regex reject null matches?

Can the String.split() method be told to reject null values?

console.log("abcccab".split("c"));
//result: ["ab", "", "", "ab"]
//desired result: ["ab", "ab"]

-

While I was testing this I came across a partial answer on accident:

console.log("abccacaab".split(/c+/));
//returns: ["ab", "a", "aab"]

But, a problem arises when the match is at the start:

console.log("abccacaab".split(/a+/));
//returns: ["", "bcc", "c", "b"]
//          ^^

Is there a clean answer? Or do we just have to deal with it?

How about matching all sequences of characters except c?

Gumbo
– Gumbo

2013-05-22 20:49:49 +00:00
Commented May 22, 2013 at 20:49 — Gumbo
– Gumbo, Commented May 22, 2013 at 20:49
@nathanhayfield That's what I'm wanting to avoid

Isaac
– Isaac

2013-05-22 20:50:32 +00:00
Commented May 22, 2013 at 20:50 — Isaac
– Isaac, Commented May 22, 2013 at 20:50

user1106925 · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-22 20:50:16Z

29

This isn't precisely a regex solution, but a filter would make quick work of it.

"abcccab".split("c").filter(Boolean);

This will filter out the falsey "" values.

answered May 22, 2013 at 20:50

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user1106925

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2 Comments

Isaac Over a year ago

I feel like I've been stealing all your rep! stackoverflow.com/questions/19888689/…

user1106925 Over a year ago

@Isaac: LOL, nah I make my answers into CW's anyway. Glad to see you use the info!

Paul · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-22 20:52:27Z

1

Trim the matches from the ends of the string before you split:

console.log("abccacaab".replace(/^a+|a+$/g, '').split(/a+/));

// ["bcc", "c", "b"]

answered May 22, 2013 at 20:52

Paul

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2 Comments

Isaac Over a year ago

That's nice, not as clean as squint's answer though

Paul Over a year ago

@Nope, I left it here because you told nathanhayfield that you wanted to avoiding iterating through the array and removing the empty strings, which is what filter does.

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