From: Robert Klemme <shortcutter@...>
Date: 2007-07-11T22:18:58+09:00
Subject: Re: create a string from a pattern?

On 09.07.2007 17:41, Paul Rogers wrote:
> Im trying to come up with an easy way to generate a random string,
> based on a supplied pattern, maybe something like:
> 
> String.from_pattern("\d\d\d@\w{3,5}.com") => "412@amnf.com"
> 
> Ive used a standard reg exp format here, but it doesnt matter if it
> uses something else.
> Any simple way to do this?

Dunno whether you'd count this as simple:

"%d-%d{3}-%w{3,5}".gsub /%(.)(?:\{(\d+)(?:,(\d+))?\})?/ do |m|
   t, mi, ma = $1, $2, $3

   rep = case
     when mi.nil?
       1
     when ma.nil?
       mi.to_i
     else
       mi.to_i + rand(1 + ma.to_i - mi.to_i)
     end

   case t
     when "d"
       rep.to_enum(:times).inject("") {|s,| s << (?0 + rand(10)).chr}
     when "w"
       rep.to_enum(:times).inject("") {|s,| s << (?a + rand(1 + ?z - 
?a)).chr}
     else
       # ignore
       m
   end
end


Kind regards

	robert