OpenEuphoria

Re: Parsing problem

• Posted by DB James <larch at adelphia.net> Aug 16, 2005
• 713 views

Patrick Barnes wrote:
> 
> I have some finance data that my bank insists on lumping all together
> into one field. A sample of the data is below:
> 
> Visa Purchase                26DECThe Carss Park Super Carss Par
> Non Stg/Bsa Atm Wdl Fee
> Internet Deposit             05JAN23:11itamoney
<SNIP>
> Visa Purchase                31JANWorld Vision Of Aust Burwood E
> Visa Purchase                28JANVodafone            Chatswood
> Visa Purchase                31JANWoolworths W1200    Eastwood
> Tfr Wdl Bpay Internet         03FEB19:0311174893           Integral Energy
> 
> Each line is a single field in the incoming .csv file.
> Any suggestions on how to parse it? In most but not all cases, the
> second 'column' starts at about the 29th element. Sometimes the date
> is given, sometimes data and time, sometimes nothing.
> 
> --
> MrTrick
> ----------

Hi.

It appears as if the second set of data in each line always begins with a
number, so you have a basis for separation there, as well as the tabbing or
spacing otherwise.  (Question: are the wide spaces tabs originally?  If so, that
would make parsing easy.)  Also the first part of the second set either ends with
a number, or it ends with a three-letter word for the month, so this can create a
"rule" for separation of the second set.

It would be handy if the bank would provide a copy of their rules for
generationg these lines (some techy deep in the bowels of the bank would know,
but they may not let him/her out of the cage for public communication :^D )

--Quark