Abbreviated Word Replacement

Anon

If my product database has abbreviated item descriptions, like PS, HD, etc. How can I change these abbreviated description in the queries output? Meaning when ever a description contains an abbreviated word it would get replaced with the full word, "PS" would change to "Power Supply", 'HD" would change to "Hard Drive"

I think I saw a similar example in this Database Forum before, but I can't seem to find it.

stevo

if you're using PHP, check out the str_replace() functions....

Sac Town wrote:

I think I saw a similar example in this Database Forum before, but I can't seem to find it.

Anon

According to what I read, I would have to make a seperate str_replace for every abbreviation I wanted to change? Is there a way of doing this with a single command.

stevo

not that i know of,- the best way i can think of would be something along the lines of:storing the expansions in an array, then walking through the array replacing each as you go (you would have to be careful that the different replaces didn't interfere with each other)

Anon

Here is what I just tried:

$searchPattern = array ("SERL", "SER");
$replacePattern = array ("SERIAL", "SERIAL");
$row[new_descr] = str_replace ($searchPattern, $replacePattern, "$row[descr]");

echo "<U>Product Description:</U> ".$row[new_descr].;

Here is the problem with this:

First Match:

6FT SERIALIAL CABLE DB9M TO DB25

Second Match:

4FT SERIAL CABLE PLUS 36 UPS DB25 TO DB25

The First Match: changed SERL to SERIALIAL
The Second Match: changed SER to SERIAL with no mistakes

Any ideas on how to fix this?

stevo

yeah, you need something in there to distinguish between the text already replaced, and the text to be replaced.

one way: if you can easily change all the abbreviations to #SER for example, then do a replace on that text (use a character that can't normally turn up in order to stop problems), or maybe surround the replaces with <> tags.

*other way, if that is not practical would be to do a replace on " SER " for " SERIAL " for example if you know it always appears in it's own word (surrounded by spaces,- or leading space)

just need some distinction in there between normal text and replaceable text.

hth

Anon

Is there a way to specify the whole words only? Like to only look for the whole word "SER" and "SERL" when replacing. To avoid double replacments and replacements on words that are not suppose to change to "SERIAL" - like "SERIES" changing to "SERIALIES"?

THANKS!