Problem using | char as delimiter for split

alandev has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

hi monks

i expected the below code to produce result

0427320060001
39104
20020
190
2

but it produces 04273. where i am goin wrong?

the code

$a="0427320060001|39104|20020|190|2";
my($num1,$num2,$num3,$num4,$num5)=split(/|/,$a);
print $num1;
print $num2;
print $num3;
print $num4;
print $num5;
[download]

thanks in advance

2006-08-29 Retitled by jeffa, as per Monastery guidelines
Original title: 'Split ??'

Comment on Problem using \| char as delimiter for split Download Code

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: Problem using \| char as delimiter for split by imp (Priest) on Aug 29, 2006 at 13:13 UTC
`\|` is the alternation operator within a regular expression. For example `foo\|bar` matches "foo" or "bar". If you want to split using it, you need to escape it with a \ `my($num1,$num2,$num3,$num4,$num5)=split(/\\|/,$a);` [download]	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re: Problem using \| char as delimiter for split by philcrow (Priest) on Aug 29, 2006 at 13:15 UTC
You have two main problems. First \| is special in regexes, escpae it: `...split /\\|/, $a;` [download] Second, on output, you are not putting anything between the numbers, add some new lines: `print "$num1\n"; ...` [download] Phil	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re: Problem using \| char as delimiter for split by prasadbabu (Prior) on Aug 29, 2006 at 13:14 UTC
'\|' is a special character in Perl, so you have to backslash it as '\\|' to make it as normal pipe character. Take a look at perlre. `$a="0427320060001\|39104\|20020\|190\|2"; my ($num1, $num2,$num3,$num4,$num5)=split(/\\|/,$a); print "$num1\n$num2\n$num3\n$num4\n$num5"; prints: 0427320060001 39104 20020 190 2` [download] Prasad	[reply] [d/l]
Re: Problem using \| char as delimiter for split by ForgotPasswordAgain (Vicar) on Aug 29, 2006 at 13:14 UTC
You want to put a backslash before the pipe (\|). What you wrote says to split on '' or '', which will match between the characters, so you get the first five.	[reply]
Re: Problem using \| char as delimiter for split by dark314 (Sexton) on Aug 29, 2006 at 16:28 UTC
Usually what I do is when its a weird character(meaning non-alphanumeric), I use the backslash, This might not always apply but its a good rule of thumb. In either case, reading the 3 chapters in Learning Perl is probably a good idea (or re-reading). For every special character you learn how to use, you can be certain to add a backslash if your matching that character. :)	[reply]

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: Problem using \| char as delimiter for split by imp (Priest) on Aug 29, 2006 at 13:13 UTC
`\|` is the alternation operator within a regular expression. For example `foo\|bar` matches "foo" or "bar". If you want to split using it, you need to escape it with a \ `my($num1,$num2,$num3,$num4,$num5)=split(/\\|/,$a);` [download]	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re: Problem using \| char as delimiter for split by philcrow (Priest) on Aug 29, 2006 at 13:15 UTC
You have two main problems. First \| is special in regexes, escpae it: `...split /\\|/, $a;` [download] Second, on output, you are not putting anything between the numbers, add some new lines: `print "$num1\n"; ...` [download] Phil	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re: Problem using \| char as delimiter for split by prasadbabu (Prior) on Aug 29, 2006 at 13:14 UTC
'\|' is a special character in Perl, so you have to backslash it as '\\|' to make it as normal pipe character. Take a look at perlre. `$a="0427320060001\|39104\|20020\|190\|2"; my ($num1, $num2,$num3,$num4,$num5)=split(/\\|/,$a); print "$num1\n$num2\n$num3\n$num4\n$num5"; prints: 0427320060001 39104 20020 190 2` [download] Prasad	[reply] [d/l]
Re: Problem using \| char as delimiter for split by ForgotPasswordAgain (Vicar) on Aug 29, 2006 at 13:14 UTC
You want to put a backslash before the pipe (\|). What you wrote says to split on '' or '', which will match between the characters, so you get the first five.	[reply]
Re: Problem using \| char as delimiter for split by dark314 (Sexton) on Aug 29, 2006 at 16:28 UTC
Usually what I do is when its a weird character(meaning non-alphanumeric), I use the backslash, This might not always apply but its a good rule of thumb. In either case, reading the 3 chapters in Learning Perl is probably a good idea (or re-reading). For every special character you learn how to use, you can be certain to add a backslash if your matching that character. :)	[reply]