Document toolboxDocument toolbox

Template (template)

Owned by Juan Tomás Alonso Nieto (Deactivated)
Jul 06, 2022
3 min read
[ 1 Description ] [ 2 How does it work in the search window? ] [ 3 How does it work in LINQ? ]

Description

Builds a template from the given string. A template is a replacement string (in template data type) that also admits capturing groups.

Capturing groups are sets of characters into which a string has been divided following a pattern established by a regular expression (see Regular expression operation). Those groups are labeled according to their order of occurrence preceded by a backslash, where \1 refers to the first group and \5 to the fifth.

To create a template to refer to a capturing group you need to include an expression you want to use as a template, together with the capturing group to which you want to make reference. For example: [\1] would use square brackets as a template for the first capturing group.

You can use the templates generated using this operation in the Substitute (subs) and Substitute all (subsall) operations.

How does it work in the search window?

Select Create column in the search window toolbar, then select the Template operation. You need to specify one argument:

Argument

Data type

Argument

Data type

Reputation mandatory

string

The data type of the values in the new column is template.

Example

In the demo.ecommerce.data table, we want to create a column that shows the character - in template data type so we can use it later as an argument of another operation. To do it, we will create a new column using the Template operation. Let's call it templates.

The arguments needed to create the new column are:

  • Template definition - Click the pencil icon and enter -

Click Create column and you will see the following result:

We can also create a column in the demo.ecommerce.data table that shows the character - after the first capturing group, in template data type so we can use it later as an argument of another operation. To do it, we will create a new column using the Template operation. Let's call it templatesCaptGroup.

The arguments needed to create the new column are:

  • Template definition - Click the pencil icon and enter \1-

Click Create column and you will see the following result:

How does it work in LINQ?

Use the operator select... as...  and add the operation syntax to create the new column. This is the syntax for the Template operation:

  • template(string)

Example

You can copy the following LINQ script and try the previous examples on the demo.ecommerce.data table. 

from demo.ecommerce.data select template("-") as templates
from demo.ecommerce.data select template("\\1-") as templatesCaptGroup