Split String into smaller Strings by length variable

Question

I\'d like to break apart a String by a certain length variable.
It needs to bounds check so as not explode when the last section of string is not as long as or longer th

Answer 1

I have a recursive solution:

    public List<string> SplitArray(string item, int size)
    {
        if (item.Length <= size) return new List<string> { item };
        var temp = new List<string> { item.Substring(0,size) };
        temp.AddRange(SplitArray(item.Substring(size), size));
        return temp;
    }

Thoug, it does not returns a IEnumerable but a List

Answer 2

    private void button2_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        string s = "AAABBBCCC";
        string[] a = SplitByLenght(s,3);
    }

    private string[] SplitByLenght(string s, int split)
    {
        //Like using List because I can just add to it 
        List<string> list = new List<string>();

                    // Integer Division
        int TimesThroughTheLoop = s.Length/split;


        for (int i = 0; i < TimesThroughTheLoop; i++)
        {
            list.Add(s.Substring(i * split, split));

        }

        // Pickup the end of the string
        if (TimesThroughTheLoop * split != s.Length)
        {
            list.Add(s.Substring(TimesThroughTheLoop * split));
        }

        return list.ToArray();
    }

Answer 3

Yet another slight variant (classic but simple and pragmatic):

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args) {
        string msg = "AAABBBCC";

        string[] test = msg.SplitByLength(3);            
    }
}

public static class SplitStringByLength
{
    public static string[] SplitByLength(this string inputString, int segmentSize) {
        List<string> segments = new List<string>();

        int wholeSegmentCount = inputString.Length / segmentSize;

        int i;
        for (i = 0; i < wholeSegmentCount; i++) {
            segments.Add(inputString.Substring(i * segmentSize, segmentSize));
        }

        if (inputString.Length % segmentSize != 0) {
            segments.Add(inputString.Substring(i * segmentSize, inputString.Length - i * segmentSize));
        }

        return segments.ToArray();
    }
}

Answer 4

Here's what I'd do:

public static IEnumerable<string> EnumerateByLength(this string text, int length) {
    int index = 0;
    while (index < text.Length) {
        int charCount = Math.Min(length, text.Length - index);
        yield return text.Substring(index, charCount);
        index += length;
    }
}

This method would provide deferred execution (which doesn't really matter on an immutable class like string, but it's worth noting).

Then if you wanted a method to populate an array for you, you could have:

public static string[] SplitByLength(this string text, int length) {
    return text.EnumerateByLength(length).ToArray();
}

The reason I would go with the name EnumerateByLength rather then SplitByLength for the "core" method is that string.Split returns a string[], so in my mind there's precedence for methods whose names start with Split to return arrays.

That's just me, though.

Answer 5

UPD: Using some Linq to make it actually succinct

static IEnumerable EnumerateByLength(string str, int len)
        {
            Match m = (new Regex(string.Format("^(.{{1,{0}}})*$", len))).Match(str);
            if (m.Groups.Count <= 1)
                return Empty;
            return (from Capture c in m.Groups[1].Captures select c.Value);
        }

Initial version:

        static string[] Empty = new string [] {};

        static string[] SplitByLength(string str, int len)
        {
            Regex r = new Regex(string.Format("^(.{{1,{0}}})*$",len));
            Match m = r.Match(str);
            if(m.Groups.Count <= 1)
                return Empty;

            string [] result = new string[m.Groups[1].Captures.Count];
            int ix = 0;
            foreach(Capture c in m.Groups[1].Captures)
            {
                result[ix++] = c.Value;
            }
            return result;
        }

Answer 6

You need to use a loop:

public static IEnumerable<string> SplitByLength(this string str, int maxLength) {
    for (int index = 0; index < str.Length; index += maxLength) {
        yield return str.Substring(index, Math.Min(maxLength, str.Length - index));
    }
}

Alternative:

public static IEnumerable<string> SplitByLength(this string str, int maxLength) {
    int index = 0;
    while(true) {
        if (index + maxLength >= str.Length) {
            yield return str.Substring(index);
            yield break;
        }
        yield return str.Substring(index, maxLength);
        index += maxLength;
    }
}

2^nd alternative: (For those who can't stand while(true))

public static IEnumerable<string> SplitByLength(this string str, int maxLength) {
    int index = 0;
    while(index + maxLength < str.Length) {
        yield return str.Substring(index, maxLength);
        index += maxLength;
    }

    yield return str.Substring(index);
}