How to insert a string every 2 characters

How to insert a string every 2 characters

[Angus Comber]

Hi

If I have a string of characters like this:

0102030405

I want to transform into:

01 02 03 04 05

How do I do that?

Angus

Re: How to insert a string every 2 characters

[tomas]

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On Sat, Aug 22, 2015 at 02:37:39PM +0100, Angus Comber wrote:
> Hi
> 
> If I have a string of characters like this:
> 
> 0102030405
> 
> I want to transform into:
> 
> 01 02 03 04 05
> 
> How do I do that?

The short answer: query-replace-regexp RET .. RET ..<SPACE>
(substitute the <SPACE> there by a real space, of course).

The long answer: do you have many strings like that? Just
one? How long are they? Do you have to do that very often?

regards
- -- tomás
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Re: How to insert a string every 2 characters

[Angus Comber]

That didn't work quite how I wanted.  It just replaces 2 characters with a
space.  But I I did like this:

c-m-% \(..\)

and replace with \1

with a space after \1 that works.



On 22 August 2015 at 15:45, <tomas@tuxteam.de> wrote:

> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA1
>
> On Sat, Aug 22, 2015 at 02:37:39PM +0100, Angus Comber wrote:
> > Hi
> >
> > If I have a string of characters like this:
> >
> > 0102030405
> >
> > I want to transform into:
> >
> > 01 02 03 04 05
> >
> > How do I do that?
>
> The short answer: query-replace-regexp RET .. RET ..<SPACE>
> (substitute the <SPACE> there by a real space, of course).
>
> The long answer: do you have many strings like that? Just
> one? How long are they? Do you have to do that very often?
>
> regards
> - -- tomás
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> Version: GnuPG v1.4.12 (GNU/Linux)
>
> iEYEARECAAYFAlXYixgACgkQBcgs9XrR2kYEFgCfaH9b0KrzKLtzhmnbZdFCcOcT
> cwUAn2IoQB2aFnp9EfA1YAdCMri57sED
> =npOb
> -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
>

Re: How to insert a string every 2 characters

[tomas]

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On Sat, Aug 22, 2015 at 03:58:05PM +0100, Angus Comber wrote:
> That didn't work quite how I wanted.  It just replaces 2 characters with a
> space.  But I I did like this:
> 
> c-m-% \(..\)
> 
> and replace with \1
> 
> with a space after \1 that works.

Gaah. Excuse my brain fart. I wanted to put \& where I put the right two
dots. Your solution works fine as well, of course.

Sorry. Dunno. Lack of sleep or something.

- -- t
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Re: How to insert a string every 2 characters

[Emanuel Berg]

<tomas@tuxteam.de> writes:

> The long answer: do you have many strings like that?
> Just one? How long are they? Do you have to do that
> very often?

That isn't an answer but three questions and one
proposed answer to one of the questions.

It is possible I misread the insinuation, but
nevertheless - this is a task that is good to be able
to solve like has been proposed. You don't need to
have many, long strings that often are to be
transformed like this to make it worthwhile. On the
contrary: small things should be solved with advanced
methods before big things should.

You can't put skills in a bag, and expect them to be
there the next time you need it. By then, the bag will
be empty.

-- 
underground experts united
http://user.it.uu.se/~embe8573

Re: How to insert a string every 2 characters

[Emanuel Berg]

Angus Comber <anguscomber@gmail.com> writes:

> If I have a string of characters like this:
>
> 0102030405
>
> I want to transform into:
>
> 01 02 03 04 05

(replace-regexp-in-string "\\(..\\)" "\\1 " "0102030405")

-- 
underground experts united
http://user.it.uu.se/~embe8573

Re: How to insert a string every 2 characters

[Nicolas Richard]

Angus Comber <anguscomber@gmail.com> writes:

> Hi
>
> If I have a string of characters like this:
>
> 0102030405
>
> I want to transform into:
>
> 01 02 03 04 05
>
> How do I do that?

You could also use a keyboard macro:
<f3> C-f C-f SPC <f4>
then hit <f4> repeatidly (or use C-u 123 <f4> for some value of 123)
until satisfied.

kbd macros tend to be an easy way to automate complex tasks when you
don't have time and don't need to be too smart.

-- 
Nico

Re: How to insert a string every 2 characters

[Emanuel Berg]

Nicolas Richard <youngfrog@members.fsf.org> writes:

> You could also use a keyboard macro: <f3> C-f C-f
> SPC <f4> then hit <f4> repeatidly (or use C-u 123
> <f4> for some value of 123) until satisfied.
>
> kbd macros tend to be an easy way to automate
> complex tasks when you don't have time and don't
> need to be too smart.

They sure are!

Act like you are stressed and not too smart, and that
is exactly what you will become.

-- 
underground experts united
http://user.it.uu.se/~embe8573

Re: How to insert a string every 2 characters

[Nicolas Richard]

Emanuel Berg <embe8573@student.uu.se> writes:
> Act like you are stressed and not too smart, and that
> is exactly what you will become.

It is too late for me, it seems, because I can't figure out what you're
trying to tell me.

-- 
Nico.

Re: How to insert a string every 2 characters

[Emanuel Berg]

Nicolas Richard <youngfrog@members.fsf.org> writes:

>> Act like you are stressed and not too smart, and
>> that is exactly what you will become.
>
> It is too late for me, it seems, because I can't
> figure out what you're trying to tell me.

You said something to the extent that keyboard macros
are quick and not too smart. I assumed you mean
advanced or powerful by "smart", and that those
methods (the smart ones) aren't as quick. Of course,
no one is telling nobody not to use keyboard macros -
only, thinking like that isn't good. If you care about
time, doing technology isn't a good thing to begin
with. Actually it sucks. Anyone who has done physical
work (e.g., digging trenches or whatever) knows that
the perception of time is very disadvantageous when
doing computer work. You can fiddle with some detail
and suddenly two, three hours have gone by! That never
happens when digging, for sure. As for doing the not
too smart thing, doing the smart thing might require
more time the first couple of times doing it, but
eventually it is quicker, tho again if you care about
time, just throw the computer into the wall and be
done with it. The last aspect is what you do is what
you become. Don't look for quick and not too smart
ways to do things, if that isn't what you want to be.
Instead, look for the most powerful way and then to
hell with time. This makes for relaxed and skilled
people. I'm not saying this to you in particular.
But regardless of whatever, that is the way it works.

-- 
underground experts united
http://user.it.uu.se/~embe8573

Re: How to insert a string every 2 characters

[Nicolas Richard]

Emanuel Berg <embe8573@student.uu.se> writes:

> Nicolas Richard <youngfrog@members.fsf.org> writes:
>
>>> Act like you are stressed and not too smart, and
>>> that is exactly what you will become.
>>
>> It is too late for me, it seems, because I can't
>> figure out what you're trying to tell me.
>
> You said something to the extent that keyboard macros
> are quick and not too smart. I assumed you mean
> advanced or powerful by "smart", and that those
> methods (the smart ones) aren't as quick.

I meant "if you don't need the power of elisp/a reusable function".
Writing a function has its own overhead, because you have to write it,
maybe make it a bit generic, possibly test it, document it (otherwise
future-self will hate you) and put it somewhere you can find it later
(i.e. find a name for it. I've heard that's NP-hard, or something ;)).

>                          Anyone who has done physical
> work (e.g., digging trenches or whatever) knows that
> the perception of time is very disadvantageous when
> doing computer work. You can fiddle with some detail
> and suddenly two, three hours have gone by!

Totally agree. With computers we solve problems that would not exist (or
would be impossible to solve, which is mostly equivalent).

>               The last aspect is what you do is what
> you become. Don't look for quick and not too smart
> ways to do things, if that isn't what you want to be.
> Instead, look for the most powerful way and then to
> hell with time. This makes for relaxed and skilled
> people. I'm not saying this to you in particular.
> But regardless of whatever, that is the way it works.

Obligatory mention of https://xkcd.com/1319/.

-- 
Nico