Search something inside an array, using filters similars to "LIKE" filters from Oracle.

filterArray.as

package rinaldi.array
{
	import rinaldi.string.isInString;
	
	/**
	 * 
	 * 	Search something inside an array, using filters similars to "LIKE" filters from Oracle.
	 * 	The search is case sensitive!
	 * 	
	 * 	@param					p_arr					Data provider.
	 * 	@param					filters					Search filters.
	 * 
	 * 	@return											Filtered search.
	 * 
	 * 	@example
	 * 	<pre>
	 * 	import rinaldi.array.filterArray;
	 * 
	 *	var arr : Array = ["rafael", "gabriel", "arthur", "cassio", "lucas", "29/05/2009", "10/10/2010"];
	 * 
	 *	// Return items that begin with "r"
	 *	trace(filterArray(arr, "r%")); // rafael
	 * 
	 *	// Return items that begin with "ga"
	 *	trace(filterArray(arr, "ga%")); // gabriel
	 * 
	 *	// Return items that contain "r"
	 *	trace(filterArray(arr, "%r%")); // rafael,gabriel,arthur
	 * 
	 *	// Return items that contain "ss"
	 *	trace(filterArray(arr, "%ss%")); // cassio
	 * 
	 *	// Return items that ends with "l"
	 *	trace(filterArray(arr, "%l")); // rafael,gabriel
	 * 
	 *	// Return items that ends with "el"
	 *	trace(filterArray(arr, "%el")); // rafael,gabriel
	 * 
	 *	// Return items with second character equals to "a"
	 *	trace(filterArray(arr, "_a")); // rafael,gabriel,cassio
	 * 
	 *	// Return items with third character equals to "c"
	 *	trace(filterArray(arr, "__c")); // lucas
	 * 
	 *	// Return items with four last characters equals to "2009"
	 *	trace(filterArray(arr, "______2009")); // 29/05/2009
	 * 
	 *	// Multiple filters
	 *	trace(filterArray(arr, "%/%", "_a", "l%")); // rafael,gabriel,cassio,lucas,29/05/2009,10/10/2010
	 * 	</pre>
	 * 
	 * 	@see rinaldi.array
	 * 
	 * 	@author Rafael Rinaldi.
	 * 
	 * */
	
	public function filterArray( p_arr : Array, ...filters ) : Array
	{
		var keyword : String, search : String, match : String, filterSymbol : String;
		var start : int, end : int;
		var results : Array;
				
		results = [];
		
		for each(var item : Object in p_arr) {

			keyword = String(item);
					
			for each(var filter : String in filters) {
				
				filterSymbol = isInString(filter, "%") ? "%" : "_";
				start = filter.indexOf(filterSymbol);
				end = filter.lastIndexOf(filterSymbol);
				search = filter.split(filterSymbol).join("");
				
				if(filterSymbol == "_") {
					
					const underscores : int = filter.split("_").length - 1;
					
					if(underscores == 1 && search.length == 1) {
						
						/** It's only one underscore **/
						
						match = keyword.charAt(underscores);
						
						if(match == search && !isInArray(results, keyword))
							results[results.length] = keyword;
						
					} else {
						
						/** Multiple underscores **/
						
						match = keyword.substring(underscores, underscores + search.length);
						
						if(match == search && !isInArray(results, keyword))
							results[results.length] = keyword;
							
					}
					
					continue;
					
				}
					
				if(start == end) {
							
					/** It's only one percent **/
					
					if(start == 0) {
						
						/** Starts with percent **/
								
						match = keyword.substring((keyword.length - 1) - (search.length - 1));
								
						if(match == search && !isInArray(results, keyword))
							results[results.length] = keyword;
							
					} else {
						
						/** Finish with percent **/
						
						match = keyword.substring(0, end);
								
						if(match == search && !isInArray(results, keyword))
							results[results.length] = keyword;
								
					}
							
				} else {
							
					/** Contain double percents **/
					
					if(isInString(keyword, search))
						if(!isInArray(results, keyword))
							results[results.length] = keyword;
							
				}
						
			}
					
		}
				
		return results;
	}
}