How to search and replace exact matching strings only

Question

I need to search in a string and replace a certain string

Ex: Search String "Add Additional String to text box". Replace "Add" with "Insert"

Output expected = "Insert Additional String to text box"

If you use string s="Add Additional String to text box".replace("Add","Insert");

Output result = "Insert Insertitional String to text box"

Have anyone got ideas to get this working to give the expected output?

Thank you!

Answer 1

You can use Regex to do this:

Extension method example:

public static class StringExtensions
{
    public static string SafeReplace(this string input, string find, string replace, bool matchWholeWord)
    {
        string textToFind = matchWholeWord ? string.Format(@"\b{0}\b", find) : find;
        return Regex.Replace(input, textToFind, replace);
    }
}

Usage:

  string text = "Add Additional String to text box";
  string result = text.SafeReplace("Add", "Insert", true);

result: "Insert Additional String to text box"

Answer 2

string pattern = @"\bAdd\b";
string input = "Add Additional String to text box";
string result = Regex.Replace(input, pattern, "Insert", RegexOptions.None);  

"\bAdd\b" ensures that it will match the "Add" which is not part of other words. Hope it's helpful.