Regex pattern matching is getting timed out

user_3979057 0
Viewed 63

I want to split an input string based on the regex pattern using Pattern.split(String) api. The regex uses both positive and negative lookaheads. The regex is supposed to split on a delimiter (,) and needs to ignore the delimiter if it is enclosed in double inverted quotes("x,y").

The regex is - (?<!(?<!\Q\\E)\Q\\E)\Q,\E(?=(?:[^\Q"\E]*(?<=\Q,\E)\Q"\E[[^\Q,\E|\Q"\E] | [\Q"\E]]+[^\Q"\E]*[^\Q\\E]*[\Q"\E]*)*[^\Q"\E]*$)

The input string for which this split call is getting timed out is -

"","1114356033020-0011,- [BRACKET],1114356033020-0017,- [FRAME],1114356033020-0019,- [CLIP],1114356033020-0001,- [FRAME ASSY],1114356033020-0013,- [GUSSET],1114356033020-0015,- [STIFFENER]","QH20426AD3 [RIVET,SOL FL HD],UY510AE3L [NUT,HEX],PO41071B0 [SEALING CMPD],LL510A3-10 [\"BOLT,HI-JOK\"]"

I read that the lookup technics are heavy and can cause the timeouts if the string is too long. And if I remove the backward slashes enclosing [\"BOLT,HI-JOK\"] at the end of the string, then the regex is able to detect and split.

The pattern also does not detect the first delimiter at place [STIFFENER]","QH20426AD3 with the above string. But if I remove the backward slashes enclosing [\"BOLT,HI-JOK\"] at the end of the string, then the regex is able to detect it.

I am not very experienced with the lookup in regex, can some one please give hints about how can I optimize this regex and avoid time outs? Any pointers, article links are appreciated!

regex-lookarounds regex-greedy pattern-matching regex java
1 Answers

If you want to split on a comma, and the strings that follow are from an opening till closing double quote after it:

,(?="[^"\\]*(?:\\.[^"\\]*)*")

The pattern matches:

  • , Match a comma
  • (?= Positive lookahad
    • "[^"\\]* Match " and 0+ times any char except " or \
    • (?:\\.[^"\\]*)*" Optionally repeat matching \ to escape any char using the . and again match any chars other than " and /
  • ) Close lookahead

Regex demo | Java demo

String string = "\"\",\"1114356033020-0011,- [BRACKET],1114356033020-0017,- [FRAME],1114356033020-0019,- [CLIP],1114356033020-0001,- [FRAME ASSY],1114356033020-0013,- [GUSSET],1114356033020-0015,- [STIFFENER]\",\"QH20426AD3 [RIVET,SOL FL HD],UY510AE3L [NUT,HEX],PO41071B0 [SEALING CMPD],LL510A3-10 [\\\"BOLT,HI-JOK\\\"]\"\n";
String[] parts = string.split(",(?=\"[^\"\\\\]*(?:\\\\.[^\"\\\\]*)*\")");
for (String part : parts)
    System.out.println(part);

Output

""
"1114356033020-0011,- [BRACKET],1114356033020-0017,- [FRAME],1114356033020-0019,- [CLIP],1114356033020-0001,- [FRAME ASSY],1114356033020-0013,- [GUSSET],1114356033020-0015,- [STIFFENER]"
"QH20426AD3 [RIVET,SOL FL HD],UY510AE3L [NUT,HEX],PO41071B0 [SEALING CMPD],LL510A3-10 [\"BOLT,HI-JOK\"]"
user_54249880
Related