# Extract Numbers from msg.payload (String)

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/extract-numbers-from-msg-payload-string/31916>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [23 August 2020 18:44 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/extract-numbers-from-msg-payload-string/31916 "2020-08-23T18:44:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 11\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tangensphi](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/tangensphi/32/27618_2.png) [@Tangensphi](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Tangensphi)\
**Post date:** [23 August 2020 18:44 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/extract-numbers-from-msg-payload-string/31916/1 "2020-08-23T18:44:26Z")

</div>

Hello Guys!

After repeatedly trying to get my flow to work, I've decided to ask for help.

What I want to achieve: I've got a string with a lot of data from our heating system and I need to separate it into single numeric values for my ioBroker vis. I've tried python scripts with regular expressions, tried the switch and change nodes and the nr-regexp-filter node, but I havent had any success.

In addition to this I've got another string from our heating system that I want to implement in my ioBroker vis.

**First String:** pm 54.3 54.5 18.1 -20.0 -20.0 -20.0 7934.3 13.5 26.0 -20.0 -9.0 -9.0 -9.0 55.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 18.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 130.0 12.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0000 0004 0005 0002 0000 0000 0000 0000 \<\r\>\<\n\>\<\n\>

**Second String:** z 21:27:35 Lambdaheizung ein \<\n\>\<\r\>

The first string contains various values and is sent by the heating system every second. The second string contains messages when, for example, an error occures.

I would like to split the first string into single numeric values and then output them to ioBroker topics.  
I already made a regex in python and javascript:

It's big, so don't be scared. 🙂 (python)  
pm (?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P_

_[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[-?\d.]_)\s(?P[\w]_)\s(?P[\w]_)\s(?P[\w]_)\s(?P[\w]_)\s(?P[\w]_)\s(?P[\w]_)\s(?P[\w]_)\s(?P[\w]_)[^\<]_

Regex for second string (python):  
z (?P[\d:\d:\d:]_)(?P[\s\S][^\<]_)

I just cant get my hand around how to implement this into a flow.

I hope somebody can help me 😃

Edit: Corrected typos  
Edit2: Ok, I don't know why, but I can't post the original regex without being messed up. It always cuts out the names of the capturing groups with comparative signs

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Steve-Mcl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/steve-mcl/32/4826_2.png) [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)\
**Post date:** [23 August 2020 18:57 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/extract-numbers-from-msg-payload-string/31916/2 "2020-08-23T18:57:41Z")

</div>

For your first string, a simple split might be better suited?

See if this helps you get any closer to a solution...

 ![N0rnWTGSBl](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/f/a/fa1039f9bd6b5b2b6f3dcfd4e2ebec4a9187978d.gif)

```auto
[{"id":"4311d3e4.8ae2ac","type":"inject","z":"b9a43aed.f09838","name":"demo data 54.3 54.5 18.1 -20.0 -20.0 -20....","topic":"","payload":"54.3 54.5 18.1 -20.0 -20.0 -20.0 7934.3 13.5 26.0 -20.0 -9.0 -9.0 -9.0 55.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 18.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 130.0 12.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0000 0004 0005 0002 0000 0000 0000 0000","payloadType":"str","repeat":"","crontab":"","once":false,"onceDelay":0.1,"x":930,"y":100,"wires":[["f5159f84.5f0ab"]]},{"id":"f5159f84.5f0ab","type":"function","z":"b9a43aed.f09838","name":"convert to individual topic/payloads","func":"\nvar topics = {\n 0: \"topic 1/reaname/me\",\n 1: \"topic 2/rename/me/too\",\n 3: \"topic 4\",\n 18: \"topic 19\",\n 32: \"topic 33\",\n }\n \nvar data = msg.payload.split(\" \");\nfor(let i = 0; i < data.length; i++){\n let t = topics[i];\n let v = data[i];\n if(t) {\n node.send({\n topic: t,\n payload: parseFloat(v)\n })\n }\n}\n\nreturn null;","outputs":1,"noerr":0,"x":950,"y":160,"wires":[["76ed3c2d.5fecd4"]]},{"id":"76ed3c2d.5fecd4","type":"debug","z":"b9a43aed.f09838","name":"","active":true,"tosidebar":true,"console":false,"tostatus":false,"complete":"payload","targetType":"msg","x":1030,"y":220,"wires":[]}]

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ristomatti](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/ristomatti/32/5857_2.png) [@ristomatti](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/ristomatti)\
**Post date:** [23 August 2020 18:57 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/extract-numbers-from-msg-payload-string/31916/3 "2020-08-23T18:57:50Z")

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I was about to reply but then saw Steve is about to reply and I'm on a tablet virtual keyboard so I'll withdraw. 😂

Edit: top notch reply as always and better job I could've done on a tablet as I expected.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Steve-Mcl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/steve-mcl/32/4826_2.png) [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)\
**Post date:** [23 August 2020 18:58 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/extract-numbers-from-msg-payload-string/31916/4 "2020-08-23T18:58:35Z")

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no no - i did a quick hack - give us your answer @ristomatti🙂

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ristomatti](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/ristomatti/32/5857_2.png) [@ristomatti](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/ristomatti)\
**Post date:** [23 August 2020 19:00 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/extract-numbers-from-msg-payload-string/31916/5 "2020-08-23T19:00:16Z")

</div>

I was about to suggest pretty much the same but without the fancy animations. 🙂

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tangensphi](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/tangensphi/32/27618_2.png) [@Tangensphi](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Tangensphi)\
**Post date:** [23 August 2020 19:07 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/extract-numbers-from-msg-payload-string/31916/6 "2020-08-23T19:07:34Z")

</div>

Thank you for your really fast reply (didn't expect that 🙂).

I will give it a try.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Steve-Mcl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/steve-mcl/32/4826_2.png) [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)\
**Post date:** [23 August 2020 19:08 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/extract-numbers-from-msg-payload-string/31916/7 "2020-08-23T19:08:41Z")

</div>

We are a helpful lot here 🙂

Plus, the wife is on a zoom chat 😃

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dceejay](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/dceejay/32/38_2.png) [@dceejay](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/dceejay)\
**Post date:** [23 August 2020 20:04 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/extract-numbers-from-msg-payload-string/31916/8 "2020-08-23T20:04:50Z")

</div>

You could also possibly use the csv node set to split on a space rather than a comma. That way you could also assign property names to each column if you know what they are.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Steve-Mcl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/steve-mcl/32/4826_2.png) [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)\
**Post date:** [23 August 2020 20:23 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/extract-numbers-from-msg-payload-string/31916/9 "2020-08-23T20:23:17Z")

</div>

Nice solution Dave.

Good use of the CSV node

@Tangensphi - this would be a solution without the function node...  
 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/e/7/e720ef15e3547a407f17396da7fbf594bf804b0e.png)

```auto
[{"id":"879a195a.741c98","type":"inject","z":"b9a43aed.f09838","name":"demo data 54.3 54.5 18.1 -20.0 -20.0 -20....","topic":"","payload":"54.3 54.5 18.1 -20.0 -20.0 -20.0 7934.3 13.5 26.0 -20.0 -9.0 -9.0 -9.0 55.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 18.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 130.0 12.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0000 0004 0005 0002 0000 0000 0000 0000","payloadType":"str","repeat":"","crontab":"","once":false,"onceDelay":0.1,"x":430,"y":120,"wires":[["9581da1e.b12ed8"]]},{"id":"9581da1e.b12ed8","type":"csv","z":"b9a43aed.f09838","name":"","sep":" ","hdrin":"","hdrout":"","multi":"one","ret":"\\n","temp":"topic/1,topic/2,topic/3,topic/4","skip":"0","strings":true,"x":350,"y":180,"wires":[["2168c8bd.e54a68"]]},{"id":"715c958a.e0077c","type":"debug","z":"b9a43aed.f09838","name":"","active":true,"tosidebar":true,"console":false,"tostatus":false,"complete":"payload","targetType":"msg","x":650,"y":180,"wires":[]},{"id":"2168c8bd.e54a68","type":"split","z":"b9a43aed.f09838","name":"","splt":"\\n","spltType":"str","arraySplt":1,"arraySpltType":"len","stream":false,"addname":"topic","x":490,"y":180,"wires":[["715c958a.e0077c"]]}]

```

You will need to set the topics in the CSV Columns field

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tangensphi](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/tangensphi/32/27618_2.png) [@Tangensphi](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Tangensphi)\
**Post date:** [1 September 2020 22:35 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/extract-numbers-from-msg-payload-string/31916/10 "2020-09-01T22:35:31Z")

</div>

Hey Guys,

just wanted to let you know that I've used the csv Node like you suggested. It works like a charm.  
Thank you all! 🙂

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [15 September 2020 22:35 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/extract-numbers-from-msg-payload-string/31916/11 "2020-09-15T22:35:46Z")

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