Grab data from text document - php

Question

I'm trying to grab data from a row in a text file.
I am searching for a value and the subsequent data after the pipe.
userlist.txt:
micky.mcgurk#test.co|Test
michelle.mcgurk#test.co|Test2
PHP:
<?php
$user = "micky.mcgurk";
$file = "userlist.txt";
$search_for = $user;
$contents = file_get_contents($file);
$pattern = sprintf('/\b%s#([^|\s]+)\|/m', preg_quote($search_for));
if (preg_match_all($pattern, $contents, $matches)) {
echo implode("\n", $matches[1]);
$resultat = substr(strrchr($contents, '|'), 1);
echo $resultat;
} else {
echo "No user found";
}
$resultat should equal Test however I get Test2.

Answer 1

It would be easier if you are splitting the string instead of using a RegExp.
<?php
$user = "micky.mcgurk";
$file = "userlist.txt";
$search_for = $user; // Why so many? Redundant right? Why not remove this?
$contents = file_get_contents($file);
$lines = explode(PHP_EOL, $contents);
$resultat = "";
$found = false;
foreach ($lines as $line) {
$line = explode("|", $line);
if ($user . "#test.co" == $line[0]) {
$resultat = $line[1];
echo $line[1];
}
}
if ($resultat == "") {
echo "User not found";
}

Answer 2

There is only a little detail missing in your Regular Expression.
You are looking for this Regular Expression:
$pattern = sprintf('/%s#[^|]+\|(.*)$/m', preg_quote($search_for));
The Content your are looking for will be filled in at $matches[1][0].
I just changed your Script a bit to visualize the different steps of the Search:
<?php
$user = "micky.mcgurk";
$file = "userlist.txt";
$search_for = $user;
$contents = file_get_contents($file);
$pattern = sprintf('/%s#[^|]+\|(.*)$/m', preg_quote($search_for));
echo "ptn: '$pattern'\n";
if (preg_match_all($pattern, $contents, $matches)) {
echo "mtch: '" . print_r( $matches, true) . "'\n";
$resultat = $matches[1][0];
echo "res: '$resultat'\n";
} else {
echo "No user found";
}
?>
So it produces this Output:
$ php userlist.php
ptn: '/micky\.mcgurk#[^|]+\|(.*)$/m'
mtch: 'Array
(
[0] => Array
(
[0] => micky.mcgurk#test.co|Test
)
[1] => Array
(
[0] => Test
)
)
'
res: 'Test'

Answer 3

Also working ...
function startsWith($haystack, $needle)
{
$length = strlen($needle);
return (substr($haystack, 0, $length) === $needle);
}
$contents = "micky.mcgurk#test.co|Test\n\r\michelle.mcgurk#test.co|Test2";
$user = "micky.mcgurk";
$contentLines = explode(PHP_EOL, $contents);
$userExists = False;
$result;
foreach ($contentLines as &$line) {
if (startsWith($line, $user))
{
$userExists = True;
echo explode("|",$line)[1];
}
}