So based on the javaalmanac (great starting point, thanks) examples
I've written the following 'test'

package com.regexp;

import java.util.regex.Matcher;
import java.util.regex.Pattern;

public class Parsing {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
          // Parse a line with and's and or's
       String inputStr = "11N2222 22NB3333";
       String patternStr = "\\d{2}\\D{1,2}\\d{4,5}";
       Pattern pattern = Pattern.compile(patternStr);
       Matcher matcher = pattern.matcher(inputStr);

       boolean matchFound = matcher.find();
           String match = matcher.group();
           matchFound = matcher.find();            // true

       match = matcher.group();

    }

}

Which does match the patterns I know about. What my ultimate aim is, is
to develop a parser that will, given a set of input, determine what the
"patternStr" should be. For example the manufacturer part number on an
electronic distributor's website. It should be possible to work a
number of patterns that can find 90% of the makeup of the manufacturer
part number. (I don't expect there to be just one)

Hope this makes much more sense this time around

Rad.

Appologies. It is linked in as much that I could use them to form a
'pattern' of how people are using the search. I essentially have two
sets of data. Firstly there is the base data that I want people to
search on and secondly there is the historic search terms of how people
have tried to search. My intention is to be able to form a good enough
pattern from both sets that I can 'direct' the historic search terms to
interrogate the data using the right 'type' of search.


Thanks for the links so far. I've got some reading to catch up with.

Thanks for the pointer to QuickREx. Looks very useful indeed.

Pan

Thanks. I'll have a look. It may just come in handy.