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# 7.15.25. `string_slice`

New in version 11.0.3.

## 7.15.25.1. Summary

`string_slice` extracts a substring of a string. You can use two different extraction methods depending on the arguments.

- Extraction by position

- Extraction by regular expression

Groonga uses the same regular expression syntax in Ruby.

To enable this function, register `functions/string` plugin by following the command:

    plugin_register functions/string

## 7.15.25.2. Syntax

`string_slice` requires two to four parameters. The required parametars are depending on the extraction method.

### 7.15.25.2.1. Extraction by position

    string_slice(target, nth[, options])
    string_slice(target, nth, length[, options])

`options` uses the following format. All of key-value pairs are optional:

    {
      "default_value": default_value
    }

### 7.15.25.2.2. Extraction by regular expression

    string_slice(target, regexp, nth[, options])
    string_slice(target, regexp, name[, options])

`options` uses the following format. All of key-value pairs are optional:

    {
      "default_value": default_value
    }

## 7.15.25.3. Usage

Here are a schema definition and sample data to show usage.

Sample schema:

Execution example:

    plugin_register functions/string
    # [[0, 1337566253.89858, 0.000355720520019531], true]
    table_create Memos TABLE_HASH_KEY ShortText
    # [[0, 1337566253.89858, 0.000355720520019531], true]

Sample data:

Execution example:

    load --table Memos
    [
    {"_key": "Groonga"}
    ]
    # [[0, 1337566253.89858, 0.000355720520019531], 1]

Here is a simple example for the extraction by position.

Execution example:

    select Memos --output_columns '_key, string_slice(_key, 2, 3)'
    # [
    #   [
    #     0,
    #     1337566253.89858,
    #     0.000355720520019531
    #   ],
    #   [
    #     [
    #       [
    #         1
    #       ],
    #       [
    #         [
    #           "_key",
    #           "ShortText"
    #         ],
    #         [
    #           "string_slice",
    #           null
    #         ]
    #       ],
    #       [
    #         "Groonga",
    #         "oon"
    #       ]
    #     ]
    #   ]
    # ]

Here are simple examples for the extraction by regular expression.

In the following example, extracting by specifying the group number of the capturing group: `(subexp)`.

Execution example:

    select Memos --output_columns '_key, string_slice(_key, "(Gro+)(.*)", 2)'
    # [
    #   [
    #     0,
    #     1337566253.89858,
    #     0.000355720520019531
    #   ],
    #   [
    #     [
    #       [
    #         1
    #       ],
    #       [
    #         [
    #           "_key",
    #           "ShortText"
    #         ],
    #         [
    #           "string_slice",
    #           null
    #         ]
    #       ],
    #       [
    #         "Groonga",
    #         "nga"
    #       ]
    #     ]
    #   ]
    # ]

In the following example, extracting by specifying the name of the named capturing group: `(?<name>subexp)`.

Execution example:

    select Memos --output_columns '_key, string_slice(_key, "(Gr)(?<Name1>o*)(?<Name2>.*)", "Name1")'
    # [
    #   [
    #     0,
    #     1337566253.89858,
    #     0.000355720520019531
    #   ],
    #   [
    #     [
    #       [
    #         1
    #       ],
    #       [
    #         [
    #           "_key",
    #           "ShortText"
    #         ],
    #         [
    #           "string_slice",
    #           null
    #         ]
    #       ],
    #       [
    #         "Groonga",
    #         "oo"
    #       ]
    #     ]
    #   ]
    # ]

In the following example, specifying the default value.

Execution example:

    select Memos --output_columns '_key, string_slice(_key, "mismatch", 2, { "default_value" : "default" })'
    # [
    #   [
    #     0,
    #     1337566253.89858,
    #     0.000355720520019531
    #   ],
    #   [
    #     [
    #       [
    #         1
    #       ],
    #       [
    #         [
    #           "_key",
    #           "ShortText"
    #         ],
    #         [
    #           "string_slice",
    #           null
    #         ]
    #       ],
    #       [
    #         "Groonga",
    #         {
    #           "default_value": "default"
    #         }
    #       ]
    #     ]
    #   ]
    # ]

You can specify string literal instead of column.

Execution example:

    select Memos --output_columns 'string_slice("Groonga", "(roon)(g)", 2)'
    # [
    #   [
    #     0,
    #     1337566253.89858,
    #     0.000355720520019531
    #   ],
    #   [
    #     [
    #       [
    #         1
    #       ],
    #       [
    #         [
    #           "string_slice",
    #           null
    #         ]
    #       ],
    #       [
    #         "g"
    #       ]
    #     ]
    #   ]
    # ]

## 7.15.25.4. Parameters

### 7.15.25.4.1. Extraction by position

There are two required parameters, `target` and `nth`.

There are two optional parameters, `length` and `options`.

#### 7.15.25.4.1.1. `target`

Specify a string literal or a string type column.

#### 7.15.25.4.1.2. `nth`

Specify a 0-based index number of charactors where to start the extraction from `target`.

If you specify a negative value, it counts from the end of `target`.

#### 7.15.25.4.1.3. `length`

Specify a number of characters to extract from `nth`.

The default is 1.

#### 7.15.25.4.1.4. `options`

Specify the following key.

`default_value`

  Specify a string to be returned when a substring is an empty string except when specifying 0 for `length`.

  The default is an empty string.

### 7.15.25.4.2. Extraction by regular expression

There are three required parameters, `target` and `regexp` and `nth` or `name`. Specify either `nth` or `name`.

There is one optional parameter, `options`.

#### 7.15.25.4.2.1. `target`

Specify a string literal or a string type column.

#### 7.15.25.4.2.2. `regexp`

Specify a regular expression string.

When you use `nth` and specify a value greater than 0, you must use capturing group: `(subexp)`.

When you use `name`, you must use named capturing group: `(?<name>subexp)`, `(?'name'subexp)`.

#### 7.15.25.4.2.3. `nth`

Specify a number of the capturing group for `regexp`.

A captured string of the `nth` capturing group is returned when `regexp` is matched to `target`.

If 0 is specified for `nth`, the entire string that matches `regexp` is returned.

Specify either `nth` or `name`.

#### 7.15.25.4.2.4. `name`

Specify a name of the named capturing group for `regexp`.

A captured string of the named capturing group that matches `name` is returned when `regexp` is matched to `target`.

Specify either `nth` or `name`.

#### 7.15.25.4.2.5. `options`

Specify the following key.

`default_value`

  Specify a string returned if `regexp` does not match to `target`. This value also be returned when the value of `nth` or `name` is incorrect.

  The default is an empty string.

## 7.15.25.5. Return value

`string_slice` returns a substring extracted under the specified conditions from `target`.