How to split_regex only once? - c++

Question

The function template boost::algorithm::split_regex splits a single string into strings on the substring of the original string that matches the regex pattern we passed to split_regex. The question is: how can I split it only once on the first substring that matches? That is, is it possible to make split_regex stop after its first splitting? Please see the following codes.
#include <boost/algorithm/string/regex.hpp>
#include <boost/format.hpp>
#include <boost/regex.hpp>
#include <iostream>
#include <locale>
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
using namespace std;
using boost::regex;
locale::global(locale(""));
// Create a standard string for experiment.
string strRequestLine("Host: 192.168.0.1:12345");
regex pat(R"(:\s*)", regex::perl | boost::regex_constants::match_stop);
// Try to split the request line.
vector<string> coll;
boost::algorithm::split_regex(coll, strRequestLine, pat);
// Output what we got.
for (const auto& elt : coll)
cout << boost::format("{%s}\n") % elt;
// Exit the program.
return 0;
}
Where shall the codes be modified to have the output like
{Host}
{192.168.0.1:12345}
instead of the current output
{Host}
{192.168.0.1}
{12345}
Any suggestion/hint? Thanks.
Please note that I'm not asking how to do it with other functions or patterns. I'm asking if it's possible for split_regex to split only once and then stop. Because regex object seems to have the ability to stop at the first matched, I wonder that if offering it some proper flags it maybe stop at the first matched.

Answer 1

For your specific input it seems the simple fix is to change the pattern to become R"(:\s+)". Of course, this assumes that there is, at least, one space after Host: and no space between the IP address and the port.
Another alternative would be not to use split_regex() but rather std::regex_match():
#include <iostream>
#include <regex>
#include <string>
int main()
{
std::string strRequestLine("Host: 192.168.0.1:12345");
std::smatch results;
if (std::regex_match(strRequestLine, results, std::regex(R"(([^:]*):\s*(.*))"))) {
for (auto it(++results.begin()), end(results.end()); it != end; ++it) {
std::cout << "{" << *it << "}\n";
}
}
}

Answer 2

Expanding from my comment:
You might be interested in the first sample I listed here: small HTTP response headers parsing function. Summary: use phrase_parse(f, e, token >> ':' >> lexeme[*(char_ - eol)], space, key, value)
Here's a simple sample:
Live On Coliru
#include <boost/spirit/include/qi.hpp>
namespace qi = boost::spirit::qi;
namespace {
typedef std::string::const_iterator It;
// 2.2 Basic Rules (rfc1945)
static const qi::rule<It, std::string()> rfc1945_token = +~qi::char_( " \t><#,;:\\\"/][?=}{:"); // FIXME? should filter CTLs
}
#include <iostream>
int main()
{
std::string const strRequestLine("Host: 192.168.0.1:12345");
std::string::const_iterator f(strRequestLine.begin()), l(strRequestLine.end());
std::string key, value;
if (qi::phrase_parse(f, l, rfc1945_token >> ':' >> qi::lexeme[*(qi::char_ - qi::eol)], qi::space, key, value))
std::cout << "'" << key << "' -> '" << value << "'\n";
}
Prints
'Host' -> '192.168.0.1:12345'