perl regex

[lilly07]

I have a data file and 4th column looks like below: Some examples

34899939-34899967
34899939-34899967:349055 54-34905559
34899939-34899967:349055 54-34905559:349055 60-34905574


I have to extract like below:
For the first line:
$start = 34899939
$end = 34899967
$block_size = 1

For the 2nd line:
$start = 34899939
$end = 34905559
$block_size = 2
$n1=34899939
$n2=34899967
$n3=34905554
$n4=34905559

For the 3rd line:
$start = 34899939
$end = 34905574
$block_size = 3
$n1=34899939
$n2=34899967
$n3=34905554
$n4=34905559
$n5=34905560
$n6=34905574

I am able to differentiate 1 block and 2 block depending upon : character and able to find the solution for the 3rd line as below:

sub special {
        
        chomp $_;
        my @v = split(/\s+/,$_);        
        if($v[3] =~ /\:/) {
        $num1 = $`;
        $num2 = $';
                if($num1 =~ /\-/) {
                        $n1 = $`;
                        $n2 = $';
                }
                if($num2 =~ /\-/) {
                        $n3 = $`;
                        $n4 = $';
                }
        }
        $start = $n1;
        $end = $n4;
        print "$n1 \t $n2 \t $n3 \t $n4 \n";
       
}

But how do I generalise the numbers with : to generate the $n(i)? Thanks.

[KevinADC]

Your data is confusing. What do you mean "the 4th column looks like this"? You have posted three seperate lines of data. Are they part of a larger line of data? Why in your sub special() are you first splitting on spaces when there is no spaces in the data you posted?

[lilly07]

Hi Kevin, sorry for the confusion. Let me try to explain.

My 4th column can contain data as given in my previous post. It can contain without : or with one or two or three set of numbers separated by :

Hence they are different kinds of data available in 4th column of each data.

Every line I parse it to get the 4th column hence I split using space to get my 4th column data. And still parse with a special character : and then further split the example.

If my 4th column is like 1st example, then it is easy for me to split the numbers and put them into $n1 and $n2.

If my 4th column is like 2nd line example with one :, then my subroutine special does the job and assign $n1,$n2,$n3 and $n4.

But I want to write a generalised routine which can handle like line 3 or even with more number of:

I hope I have explained clearly.
Regards

[KevinADC]

That helped clear it up. I hope I am not doing your school work for you.

while(<DATA>) {
   special($_);
}

sub special {
   local ($_) = @_; 
   chomp $_;
   my $col4 = (split(/\s+/))[3];
   my @blocks = split(/:/,$col4);
   my @temp;
   for (@blocks) {
      push @temp, split(/-/);
   }
   print "start = $temp[0]\n";
   print "end = $temp[-1]\n";
   print 'blocks = ', scalar @blocks,"\n";
   for (@temp) {
      print "\t$_\n";
   }
   print "\n";
}
__DATA__
dummy dummy dummy 34899939-34899967 dummy
dummy dummy dummy 34899939-34899967:34905554-34905559 dummy 
dummy dummy dummy 34899939-34899967:34905554-34905559:34905560-34905574 dummy

Apply your own file I/O inplace of DATA

[KevinADC]

output is:

start = 34899939
end = 34899967
blocks = 1
	34899939
	34899967

start = 34899939
end = 34905559
blocks = 2
	34899939
	34899967
	34905554
	34905559

start = 34899939
end = 34905574
blocks = 3
	34899939
	34899967
	34905554
	34905559
	34905560
	34905574

edit the output for your needs to display it how you need to. I added "start", "end" and "blocks" just to make it easier to read.