Finding string in an Array

I have an string array something like

Dim tester() As String = {"5,", "4,", "5_4,", "5_7,", "7_6,", "5_6_7,", "5_7_6_4,"}

Yes, there is a comma at the end of each string.

I want to find positions in array tester where string "5" exists. What I am not able to solve is if I have to find string "5_7" - the result I need is "5_6_7," and
"5_7_6_4".

So if my input is {5_7}, I am looking for all string in that array that have {5 and 7} in some form.

Is this possible to do? or is there is better way to do this ?

I have tried for like few hours now and nothing works :(

What's the code you have so far?

Here is the code. What I trying to do is take first string as input, take each char in that as seperate token and then loop thru complete array and store all indexes where match occurs (for all tokens).

inputArray is one that holds the data

VB Code:

'start from bottom of loop, I have to do this because of some extra computation that goes on side
        For i = (inputArray.Length - 1) To 0 Step i - 1
           'take first string as input 
           Dim toBeMatched As String = inputArray(i)
            Response.Write("<BR> to be matched=" & toBeMatched)
            Dim k As Integer = 0
            For k = 0 To (inputArray.Length - 1) Step k + 1
                Dim tempString As String = inputArray(k)
                Dim tokenNum As Integer = 0
                For tokenNum = 0 To toBeMatched.Length Step tokenNum + 1
                    Dim token As String = toBeMatched.Chars(tokenNum)
                    Response.Write("<BR> token=" & token)
                    'tokenize the string
                    Dim tt As Boolean = tempString.Contains(token)
                    If (tt) Then
                        ' now here is the problem, I want only those indexes where all tokens exists...I should move to next token and store boolean val in some temp variable and...I am little confused here.. 
                        Response.Write("<BR> tt=" & tt & "..tempString=" & tempString)
                    End If
                Next
            Next
 
        Next

Try this code (it only tests for the 1st and the last numbers of the search string, i.e. "5_7,". If your search string contains more numbers, i.e. "5_6_9," then you will need to modify it... By no means this is the final solution but rather just something to give you an idea)

VB Code:

Public Function FindString(ByVal strToFind As String, _
                               ByRef strArray As String()) As ArrayList
        Dim lstResult As New ArrayList
        'Remove the "," and "_" from the search string
        Dim myString As String = strToFind.Replace(","c, "")
        myString = myString.Replace("_"c, "")
        Dim chrArray As Char() = myString.ToCharArray
        For Each str As String In strArray
            If str.IndexOf(chrArray(0)) >= 0 _
            AndAlso str.IndexOf(chrArray(chrArray.Length - 1)) >= 0 Then
                lstResult.Add(str)
            End If
        Next
        Return lstResult
    End Function
 
    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, _
                       ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
 
        Dim result As ArrayList = FindString(TextBox1.Text, tester)
        If result.Count > 0 Then
            Dim display As String
            For i As Integer = 0 To result.Count - 1
                display &= DirectCast(result(i), String) & vbCrLf
            Next
            MsgBox(display)
        Else
            MsgBox("Nothing")
        End If
 
    End Sub

thanks for the code. I haven't tried the code yet but will it work for 2 digits input? Like input 10_11?

Thanks again.