Extract string from a text file using 2 delimiters

I'm trying to extract a string from a text file using 2 delimiters. One to start and one to stop.

Example:

Hi my name is$John and I'm happy/today

What I need to do is to call a function that would return the string between $ and /. I've been looking everywhere but I can't seem to find something useful and I'm new to programming.

The above functions won't work if the 2nd text is also appearing before the 1st pattern...

You should use PosEx() instead of Pos():

You can do it with Pos and Copy:

function ExtractText(const Str: string; const Delim1, Delim2: string): string;
var
  pos1, pos2: integer;
begin
  result := '';
  pos1 := Pos(Delim1, Str);
  if pos1 > 0 then begin
    pos2 := PosEx(Delim2, Str, pos1+1);
    if pos2 > 0 then
      result := Copy(Str, pos1 + 1, pos2 - pos1 - 1);
  end;
end;

You can do it with Pos and Copy:

function ExtractText(const Str: string; const Delim1, Delim2: char): string;
var
  pos1, pos2: integer;
begin
  result := '';
  pos1 := Pos(Delim1, Str);
  pos2 := Pos(Delim2, Str);
  if (pos1 > 0) and (pos2 > pos1) then
    result := Copy(Str, pos1 + 1, pos2 - pos1 - 1);
end;

I'd do it something like this:

function ExtractDelimitedString(const s: string): string;
var
  p1, p2: Integer;
begin
  p1 := Pos('$', s);
  p2 := Pos('/', s);
  if (p1<>0) and (p2<>0) and (p2>p1) then begin
    Result := Copy(s, p1+1, p2-p1-1);
  end else begin
    Result := '';//delimiters not found, or in the wrong order; raise error perhaps
  end;
end;

Get em all

function ExtractText(const Str: string; const Delim1, Delim2: string): TStringList;
var
  c,pos1, pos2: integer;
begin
  result:=TStringList.Create;
  c:=1;
  pos1:=1;

  while pos1>0 do
  begin
    pos1 := PosEx(Delim1, Str,c);
    if pos1 > 0 then begin
      pos2 := PosEx(Delim2, Str, pos1+1);
    if pos2 > 0 then
      result.Add(Copy(Str, pos1 + length(delim1), pos2 - (length(delim1) + pos1)));
      c:=pos1+1;
     end;

  end;
end;

Gab, you can write a function to do this using a TFileStream class, and the Copy and Pos functions.

see this sample :

uses
  Classes,
  SysUtils;

function ExtractString(Const FileName: TFileName;Const IDel,FDel : AnsiString) : AnsiString;
Var
 FileStream : TFileStream;
 i,f        : Integer;
begin
  FileStream:= TFileStream.Create(FileName, fmOpenRead or fmShareDenyWrite); //oopen the file
  try
    try
      SetLength(Result, FileStream.Size); //set the size of the string
      FileStream.Read(Pointer(Result)^, FileStream.Size);//read the content into a string
      i:=Pos(IDel,Result);//search the initial delimiter
      f:=Pos(FDel,Result);//search the final delimiter
      Result:=Copy(Result,i+1,f-i-1); //extract the value between the delimiters
    except
      Result := '';
      raise;
    end;
  finally
    FileStream.Free;
  end;
end;

and use in this way

ExtractString('your_file_name','$','/');

In the newer Delphi's you can do it like this.. (yay)

program Project40; {$APPTYPE CONSOLE}

uses RegularExpressions;

const
  str = 'Is$John and I''m happy/today';

function GetStr(const aStr: string): string;
begin
  Result := TRegEx.Match(aStr, '\$.*/').Value;
  Result := Copy(Result, 2, Length(Result) - 2);
end;

begin
  Writeln(GetStr(str));
  ReadLn;
end.

Assuming both delimiters are single characters as per your post:

function ExtractDelimitedValueFromFile(const aFilename: String;
                                       const aOpenDelim: Char;
                                       const aCloseDelim: Char;
                                       var aValue: String): Boolean;
var
  i: Integer;
  strm: TStringStream;
  delimStart: Integer;
  delimEnd: Integer;
begin
  result      := FALSE;
  aValue      := '';
  delimStart  := -1;
  delimEnd    := -1;

  strm := TStringStream.Create;
  try
    strm.LoadFromFile(aFileName);

    for i := 1 to strm.Size do
    begin
      if (delimStart = -1) and (strm.DataString[i] = aOpenDelim) then
        delimStart := i
      else if (delimStart <> -1) and (strm.DataString[i] = aCloseDelim) then
        delimEnd := i;

      result := (delimStart <> -1) and (delimEnd <> -1);
      if result then
      begin
        aValue := Copy(strm.DataString, delimStart + 1, delimEnd - delimStart - 1);
        BREAK;
      end;
    end;

  finally
    strm.Free;
  end;
end;

Usage:

  var
    str: String;
  begin
    if ExtractDelimitedValueFromFile('path\filename.ext', '$', '/', str) then
      // work with str
    else
      // delimited value not found in file
  end;