Re: regMatchPos

[David L Lorenz <lorenz@usgs.gov>]

Andrew,
  I think that you would be better
served by using unpaste() and taking the last element generated. The regMatchpos()
function expects a vector for x and thus returns only the first occurrence
of the table. The function unpaste() does too, and has special rules for
a vector.
Dave

"Andrew Scott" <ascott@icfrith.com.au>
Sent by: s-news-owner@lists.biostat.wustl.edu

08/16/2005 09:15 PM

To	<s-news@lists.biostat.wustl.edu>
cc
Subject	[S] regMatchPos

Hi all,

Just trying to use regMatchPos to pick out the 2nd and 3rd occurrences
of a space character (" ") from within a string vector so that
I can isolate peoples' surnames.

Thus I want to convert:

"Mr John Smith"            
               
     to          
      "Smith"
or
"Mr Smith"            
               
     to          
      "Smith"
or
"Smith"              
               
               
    to            
    "Smith"

(In fact, the solution requires the detection of the last occurrence of
a space (" ") or the presence of no spaces at all.)

In another example, I have been able to identify the text between a "/"
character and the 1st occurrence of a " " using the following:

StPos<-regMatchPos(ProdName,"/")[,1]
EndPos<-regMatchPos(ProdName," ")[,1]
TempBrand<-as.factor(substring(ProdName,StPos+1,EndPos-1))

Thus                  "Computer/Type
Model"                
becomes                
"Type"

I've referred to the help screen and S-Plus manual on "regMatchPos"
and these refer to "extended tables" and "egrep" but
otherwise don't go much further.

Any assistance would be appreciated. (I'm sure this problem has been solved
many times before).

Andrew G. Scott, BEc FIAA
Manager - Strategic Analysis and Product Development
IC Frith and Associates





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