Regex

[Haokun]

hi powerful regex group,

i would like to parse out the below data into 5 columns, & is the common delimiter however for column name and nature, there will be & as part of the data.

original data

Raw

HHK SERVICES PTE LTD&SINGAPORE&BZ CONSULTANCY & MGMNT SERVICES&11-Jul-2011&24

STRATEGIC FINANCIAL SERVICES PTE LTD&SINGAPORE&CONDUCT TRAINING & SEMINAR FOR OWN FINANCIAL CONSULTANTS&21-Oct-2011&25

TIYA PTE. LTD&Singapore&Consultancy&02-May-2019&100

Kang Yu Biz&Singapore&Human Resource&28-Aug-2019&100

ABC & Real Corporation Pte Ltd&Singapore&Marketing of Financial Services&01-Oct-2009&33

C&D Organisation Pte Ltd&Singapore&Event&26-Dec-2019&100

K&P PTE.LTD&35 Sennett Lane S466927&NA&20-Apr-2016&50

The ideal output,

Name	Location	Nature	Date	Amount
HHK SERVICES PTE LTD	SINGAPORE	BZ CONSULTANCY & MGMNT SERVICES	11-Jul-2011	24
STRATEGIC FINANCIAL SERVICES PTE LTD	SINGAPORE	CONDUCT TRAINING & SEMINAR FOR OWN FINANCIAL CONSULTANTS	21-Oct-2011	25
TIYA PTE. LTD	Singapore	Consultancy	02-May-2019	100
Kang Yu Biz	Singapore	Human Resource	28-Aug-2019	100
ABC & Real Corporation Pte Ltd	Singapore	Marketing of Financial Services	01-Oct-2009	33
C&D Organisation Pte Ltd	Singapore	Event	26-Dec-2019	100
K&P PTE.LTD	35 Sennett Lane S466927	NA	20-Apr-2016	50

[BRRLL99]

Please try this using Regex tool

^(.*?)&([A-Za-z ]+)&(.+?)&(\d{2}-[A-Za-z]{3}-\d{4})&(\d+)$

[BRRLL99]

I have made few changes to the code 

Please try this

^(.*?)&([^&]+)&([^&]+?)&(\d{2}-[A-Za-z]{3}-\d{2})(\d{2})&(\d+)$

[Haokun]

hi, thanks for your solution. i think the 1st row record is not correct. the location column should be Singapore

[BRRLL99]

I think you should use 2 regex tool for your expected output

[Haokun]

do you have a solution? i have tried different ways...it doesn't work. the last two columns are easy, but there are & in the name and location column and & is part of the data. i couldn't find a pattern...

[ShankerV]

Hi @Haokun 

One way of doing this using Regex tool.

([a-zA-z &.]+)&(\u+|\d{2}\s.+)&([a-zA-z &]+)&(\d{2}.+)&(\d+)

If this helps, please like this post and mark it as a solution. If you have any other questions, please let us know.

Many thanks

Shanker V

[Haokun]

@shanker, it works for the sample set, there are 700 rows of records, some are not matched.. let me have a look at it..there are some special characters in the nature column, such as () / - \ 

[ShankerV]

Hi @Haokun 

Sure, check and let me know which are not matched.

Might be slight tweaks needed to get those matched.

The regex has been created to match the sample dataset shared.

[Pang_Hee_Choy]

maybe this?

^(.*LTD.*?|.*?)&(.*?)&(.*)&(.*)&(.*)$

as "&" only generally incurred when come to LTD, we can use that as anchor.  

for 1st column, if have LTD, then end with "LTD" (to include "&"), else, end before "&"

edit: turn off greedy                                 ^(.*LTD|.*?)&(.*?)&(.*)&(.*)&(.*)$

edit: check if anything behind Ltd     ^(.*LTD.*?|.*?)&(.*?)&(.*)&(.*)&(.*)$

for 2nd column add "?" to turn off greedy.

however, best to change the delimiters if possible.