vb.net - Having trouble with an algorithm that loops through a string -

i using visual studio community.
hi, wrote loop loops through string of lottery drawings.i grab full drawing , cut out date, drawings , powerball numbers.

everything works first time through loop, , 06/29/2002 04 33 35 36 45 powerball: 22, second time through loop 07/03/2002 " 04 33 35 36 45 " powerball: 22.

the second time through loop goes numbers first drawing. know write

numbers(i) = full_history.substring(start + 10, 16), , balls(i) = fullhistory.substring(start + 26, 14), doesn't seem right. hope explained right. appreciated.

dim start integer = 0                                                'create variable start dim finish integer = 40                                               integer = 0 array_size - 1 step 1                           'loop through string full_draw(i) = full_history.substring(start, finish)                'store full drawing dates(i) = full_history.substring(start, 10)                        'store date of drawing numbers(i) = full_history.substring(10, 16)                         'store numbers drawn balls(i) = full_history.substring(26, 14)                           'store 'ball' if necessary start += 40                                                         'increment start variable 

if have such specialized text can use regular expression extract data, in snippet:

dim rx new system.text.regularexpressions.regex("(\d\d\/\d\d\/\d{4})\s(\d\d)\s(\d\d)\s(\d\d)\s(\d\d)\s(\d\d)\s+powerball:\s(\d\d)") dim s = "06/29/2002 04 33 35 36 45  powerball: 22 06/29/2002 04 33 35 36 45  powerball: 22 06/29/2002 04 33 35 36 45  powerball: 22 06/29/2002 04 33 35 36 45  powerball: 22 06/29/2002 04 33 35 36 45  powerball: 22" dim matches = rx.matches(s) dim sb new system.text.stringbuilder each m system.text.regularexpressions.match in matches     sb.appendline("date: " & m.groups(1).value)     sb.appendline("#1: " & m.groups(2).value)     sb.appendline("#2: " & m.groups(3).value)     sb.appendline("#3: " & m.groups(4).value)     sb.appendline("#4: " & m.groups(5).value)     sb.appendline("#5: " & m.groups(6).value)     sb.appendline("powerball: " & m.groups(7).value)     sb.appendline() next messagebox.show(sb.tostring) 

granted not elegent regex ever, should easy enough follow:

• \d stands single digit
• / literal slash character
• {4} quantifier, meaning 4 of previous thing
• /s whitespace
• /s+ means whitespace like
• () denote capturing groups, allowing access values in .groups property of each match

so find matches in given text , can extract subgroups iterating on matches.

---

for general question:

numbers(i) = full_history.substring(10, 16)                         'store numbers drawn balls(i) = full_history.substring(26, 14)    

these lines crop same part out of source string (e.g. index 10 26). need scale substring start part start variable well, like

numbers(i) = full_history.substring(start + 10, 16)                         'store numbers drawn balls(i) = full_history.substring(start + 26, 14)    

otherwise not suprising each element ends same. or avoid more confusion, first crop whole thing out , dissect new string parts:

for integer = 0 array_size - 1 step 1                           'loop through string     dim thisdraw string = full_history.substring(start, finish)     full_draw(i) = thisdraw     'notice fixed indizes     dates(i) = thisdraw.substring(0, 10)                        'store date of drawing     numbers(i) = thisdraw.substring(10, 16)                         'store numbers drawn     balls(i) = thisdraw.substring(26, 14)                           'store 'ball' if necessary     start += finish next