REGEX - find zip code in text

Question

Hi experts!
I have to find the zip code (for germany) in a given text. I found 5 digits in my text, but my problem is to ignore numbers which consists of more than 5 digits!
My first try works for all cases but not for the last one.
FIND FIRST OCCURRENCE OF REGEX '([0-9]{5})' IN ld_string SUBMATCHES ld_plz.
D-12345 Mainz -> should match 12345
D 12345 Mainz -> should match 12345
12345 Mainz -> should match 12345
12345Mainz -> should match 12345
Mainz D-12345  -> should match 12345
D-123 45 Mainz -> error because of the space between the numbers
D-12333345 Mainz -> error because only 5 digits are valid for a germany zip code; my REGEX does not work!
Thanks a lot!
Regards,
Florian

Answer 1

Hi Florian,
curiosity persists.
After some playing around I reduced the pattern using Placeholder for any single digit \d. Then I noticed that the 5-digit-sequence will also match 5 digits out of 6, so i used \D Placeholder for any character other than a digit Then I don't know how to recognize (optional) line start or end as alternative to non-digit, so I just enclose the string to be checked into spaces - please suggest a more elegant solution.
My test form
FORM regex .
  DATA:
    lv_subm   type string,
    lt_string TYPE TABLE OF string.
  FIELD-SYMBOLS:
    <string>  TYPE string.
  APPEND:
    'D-12345 Mainz' TO lt_string,
    'D 12345 Mainz' TO lt_string,
    '12345 Mainz'   TO lt_string,
    '12345Mainz'    TO lt_string,
    '123456Mainz'    TO lt_string,
    '123 45Mainz'    TO lt_string,
    'Mainz D-12345' TO lt_string.
  LOOP AT lt_string ASSIGNING <string>.
    clear:
      lv_subm.
    CONCATENATE ` ` <string> ` ` into <string>.
    FIND REGEX '\D(\d{5})\D' IN <string> SUBMATCHES lv_subm.
    WRITE: / <string>, 20 'matches', 30 lv_subm,40 'SY-SUBRC=', sy-subrc.
  ENDLOOP.
ENDFORM.                    " REGEX
creates this output:
D-12345 Mainz     matches   12345     SY-SUBRC=     0
D 12345 Mainz     matches   12345     SY-SUBRC=     0
12345 Mainz       matches   12345     SY-SUBRC=     0
12345Mainz        matches   12345     SY-SUBRC=     0
123456Mainz       matches             SY-SUBRC=     4
123 45Mainz       matches             SY-SUBRC=     4
Mainz D-12345     matches   12345     SY-SUBRC=     0
As I do not fully understand the meaning of FIRST OCCURRENCE, I just removed it.
Regards,
Clemens