how can I replace space with other signs

Hi, I am trying to convert space in a string into other characters. For example: input: "Mr John Smith" ouput "Mr%John%Smith". We need StringBuilder ? Please advise.

Re: how can I replace space with other signs

Sorry, I didn't make it clear. the string could contain many space, like "Mr John Smith", how to convert those space to "%" ?

Re: how can I replace space with other signs

@ sdnd2000

TIMTOWTDI =. there is more than one way to do it

FWIW, StringBuilder is not necessary, although this example which i've tested in LINQPad v4.42.01 does use StringBuilder:

public static String spacesBeGone(Char placeHolder, String stringToCompact)
{
    List<Char> compactedStringProxy = new List<Char>();
    Boolean compressingSpaces = true;
    foreach (Char thisChar in stringToCompact)
    {
        switch (thisChar)
        {
            case ' ':  if (!compressingSpaces)
                       {
                           compressingSpaces = true;
                           compactedStringProxy.Add(placeHolder);
                       }
                       break;
            default:  compressingSpaces = false;
                      compactedStringProxy.Add(thisChar);
                      break;
        }
    }
    StringBuilder compactedString = new StringBuilder();
    foreach (Char proxyChar in compactedStringProxy)
    {
        compactedString.Append(proxyChar);
    }
    return compactedString.ToString();
}

test

void Main()
{
    Console.WriteLine (spacesBeGone('%',  "Mr           John            Smith"));
    Console.WriteLine (spacesBeGone('%',  "Mr John Smith"));
    Console.WriteLine (spacesBeGone('¿', @"Hi, I am trying to convert space in a string into other characters. For example: input: ""Mr John Smith"" ouput ""Mr%John%Smith"". We need StringBuilder ? Please advise."));
}

test output

Mr%John%Smith
Mr%John%Smith
Hi,¿I¿am¿trying¿to¿convert¿space¿in¿a¿string¿into¿other¿characters.¿For¿example:¿input:¿"Mr¿John¿Smith"¿ouput¿"Mr%John%Smith".¿We¿need¿StringBuilder¿?¿Please¿advise.

Re: how can I replace space with other signs

@ sdnd2000

oops, there is a BUG in my because i meant to test these boundary conditions and forgot:

Console.WriteLine (spacesBeGone('*',  ""));
    Console.WriteLine (spacesBeGone('#',  "                                                  "));
    Console.WriteLine (spacesBeGone('^',  "           Mr           John            Smith     "));

i.e., empty string, all spaces, leading and/or trailing spaces ... if you test with the previous version, you will see the BUG.

revised code:

public static String spacesBeGone(Char placeHolder, String stringToCompact)
{
    List<Char> compactedStringProxy = new List<Char>();
    Boolean compressingSpaces   = true;
    Boolean thisIsStartOfString = true; // 
    foreach (Char thisChar in stringToCompact)
    {
        switch (thisChar)
        {
            case ' ':  if (!compressingSpaces)
                       {
                           compressingSpaces = true;
                           compactedStringProxy.Add(placeHolder);
                       }
                       else if (thisIsStartOfString)
                       {
                           compressingSpaces = true;
                           compactedStringProxy.Add(placeHolder);
                       }
                       break;
            default:  compressingSpaces = false;
                      compactedStringProxy.Add(thisChar);
                      break;
        }
        thisIsStartOfString = false;
    }
    StringBuilder compactedString = new StringBuilder();
    foreach (Char proxyChar in compactedStringProxy)
    {
        compactedString.Append(proxyChar);
    }
    return compactedString.ToString();
}

new test

void Main()
{
Console.WriteLine (spacesBeGone('*',  ""));
    Console.WriteLine (spacesBeGone('#',  "                                                  "));
    Console.WriteLine (spacesBeGone('^',  "           Mr           John            Smith     "));
    Console.WriteLine (spacesBeGone('%',  "Mr           John            Smith"));
    Console.WriteLine (spacesBeGone('%',  "Mr John Smith"));
    Console.WriteLine (spacesBeGone('¿', @"Hi, I am trying to convert space in a string into other characters. For example: input: ""Mr John Smith"" ouput ""Mr%John%Smith"". We need StringBuilder ? Please advise."));
}

new test output

#
^Mr^John^Smith^
Mr%John%Smith
Mr%John%Smith
Hi,¿I¿am¿trying¿to¿convert¿space¿in¿a¿string¿into¿other¿characters.¿For¿example:¿input:¿"Mr¿John¿Smith"¿ouput¿"Mr%John%Smith".¿We¿need¿StringBuilder¿?¿Please¿advise.

Re: how can I replace space with other signs

@ sdnd2000

note the test output from the previous example does not show the empty string that results from

Console.WriteLine (spacesBeGone('*',  ""));

this is not a BUG in my code ... imho, it's a bug in the forums.asp.net editor ....

if put this in the Message editor's "insert code" window:
--------------------------------------------------------------

#
^Mr^John^Smith^
Mr%John%Smith
Mr%John%Smith
Hi,¿I¿am¿trying¿to¿convert¿space¿in¿a¿string¿into¿other¿characters.¿For¿example:¿input:¿"Mr¿John¿Smith"¿ouput¿"Mr%John%Smith".¿We¿need¿StringBuilder¿?¿Please¿advise.
--------------------------------------------------------------

and i get this back

#
^Mr^John^Smith^
Mr%John%Smith
Mr%John%Smith
Hi,¿I¿am¿trying¿to¿convert¿space¿in¿a¿string¿into¿other¿characters.¿For¿example:¿input:¿"Mr¿John¿Smith"¿ouput¿"Mr%John%Smith".¿We¿need¿StringBuilder¿?¿Please¿advise.

Re: how can I replace space with other signs

var result = inStr.Replace(' ', '%');

Re: how can I replace space with other signs

@ Paul Linton

Hi Paul ... sorry, your suggestion does not work, because, ... if you read the O.P.'s followup, you'll see that the problem is to replace 1 to n spaces with a single character.

Re: how can I replace space with other signs

You can use regex

string testdata = "Mr           John            Smith";
        testdata = System.Text.RegularExpressions.Regex.Replace(testdata, @"\s+", "%");

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/xwewhkd1.aspx

Re: how can I replace space with other signs

gerrylowry
you'll see that the problem is to replace 1 to n spaces with a single character.

It does not say that. It says 'space to "%"' it does not say 'spaces to a single "%"'

Re: how can I replace space with other signs

here I used LINQ, very easiest and might be space or spaces :)

string obj1 = "Mr John Smith";
        string obj2 = "Mr    John                Smith";
        string obj3 = "MrJohn Smith";

        var result1 = string.Join("%", obj1.Split(' ').Where(T => T != "").ToArray());
        var result2 = string.Join("%", obj2.Split(' ').Where(T => T != "").ToArray());
        var result3 = string.Join("%", obj3.Split(' ').Where(T => T != "").ToArray());

Re: how can I replace space with other signs

@ Paul Linton

Paul Linton

[the O.P. wrote] 'space to "%"' ... not ... 'spaces to a single "%"'

Yes, Paul, but please look at the O.P.'s example: output "Mr%John%Smith"."

i'm guessing the English is not sdnd2000's mother tongue, examples:

http://forums.asp.net/post/4962780.aspx

I am trying to convert space in a string into other characters.

For example: input: "Mr John Smith" output "Mr%John%Smith".

[Do] we need StringBuilder ?

http://forums.asp.net/post/4962805.aspx

the string could contain many space, like "Mr John Smith",

how to convert those space to "%" ?

</div>

Re: how can I replace space with other signs

@ Mastan Oli

Hi Mastan ... your solution fails for the boundary conditions of leading and/or trailing spaces:

string obj4 = "    Mr John Smith    ";
        string obj5 = "    Smith";
        string obj6 = "MrJohn Smith   ";
 
        var result4 = string.Join("%", obj4.Split(' ').Where(T => T != "").ToArray());
        var result5 = string.Join("%", obj5.Split(' ').Where(T => T != "").ToArray());
        var result6 = string.Join("%", obj6.Split(' ').Where(T => T != "").ToArray());
        
        Console.WriteLine (result4);
        Console.WriteLine (result5);
        Console.WriteLine (result6);

output:

Mr%John%Smith
Smith
MrJohn%Smith

output should be

%Mr%John%Smith%
%Smith
MrJohn%Smith%

Re: how can I replace space with other signs

gerrylowry
Hi Mastan ... your solution fails for the boundary conditions of leading and/or trailing spaces:

Just modify like

const string strReplace = "%";

        string obj4 = "    Mr John Smith    ";
        string obj5 = "    Smith";
        string obj6 = "MrJohn Smith   ";


        var result4 = (obj4.StartsWith(" ") ? strReplace : "") + string.Join("%", obj4.Split(' ').Where(T => T != "").ToArray()) + (obj4.EndsWith(" ") ? strReplace : "");
        var result5 = (obj5.StartsWith(" ") ? strReplace : "") + string.Join("%", obj5.Split(' ').Where(T => T != "").ToArray()) + (obj5.EndsWith(" ") ? strReplace : "");
        var result6 = (obj6.StartsWith(" ") ? strReplace : "") + string.Join("%", obj6.Split(' ').Where(T => T != "").ToArray()) + (obj6.EndsWith(" ") ? strReplace : "");

Re: how can I replace space with other signs

@ mbanavige

Hi Mike ... generally, i'm not a fan of regex; however, in this case, imho, your solution is the most elegant yet; your solution, by its nature, also handles the boundary conditions of empty string and leading/trailing spaces properly; plus, your regex expression \s+ requires only a minimal understanding of regex.

regards, gerry