• Adobe After Effects Expressions

  Easy way to extract a number from a string

  Posted by Paul Roper on January 10, 2014 at 1:16 pm

  Hello,

  I’m looking for a method to convert, say “layer23” or “Text 23 is here” to the number 23. Basically a method to ignore any non-numerical text in a string. I’ve tried a few JavaScript methods, but they either don’t work or give me the Not a Number result. I’m hoping for some equivalent of Filemaker’s GetAsNumber function (https://www.filemaker.com/11help/html/func_ref3.33.52.html).

  Any suggestions?

  – Paul

  Kevin Camp replied 12 years, 4 months ago 3 Members · 4 Replies
• 4 Replies

• 

  Declan Smith

  January 10, 2014 at 1:51 pm

  You can use regular expressions to extract a number from a string.

  A simple example below with return 1 or more consecutive numbers, such that if your string was “Layer123” it would return 123

  Regular expressions are very powerful to apply selection patterns. Note that the example below will return the first set of numbers it encounters.

  /d+/i.exec("layer123")

  Declan Smith
  https://www.madpanic.tv
  After Effects CS6/ FCS3 / Canon XLH1 / Canon 7D / Reason / Cubase

  “it’s either binary or it’s not”
• 

  Paul Roper

  January 10, 2014 at 2:36 pm

  Hmmm….I can’t get that to work. I’ve tried putting that expression into a Source Text (it returns “null”) so I tried putting it in a numerical thing (rotation). It returns 0.

  Any thoughts?

  Thanks,

  Paul
• 

  Declan Smith

  January 10, 2014 at 2:40 pm

  Yes sorry I think the COW removed a backslash

  before the ‘d’ put a backslash

  /d+/i.exec("layer123")

  Declan Smith
  https://www.madpanic.tv
  After Effects CS6/ FCS3 / Canon XLH1 / Canon 7D / Reason / Cubase

  “it’s either binary or it’s not”
• 

  Kevin Camp

  January 10, 2014 at 5:21 pm

  that is really cool… now i have something new to go out and learn

  thanks Declan

  Kevin Camp
  Senior Designer
  KCPQ, KMYQ & KRCW

Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up