Search code examples
stringscalascala-collectionsscalazropes

Insert character in Scala String

For any given String, for instance

val s = "abde"

how to insert a character c: Char at position 2, after b ?

Update

Which Scala collection to consider for multiple efficient insertions and deletions at random positions ? (Assuming that a String may be transformed into that collection.)

Solution

  • Rope data structure proves a valid alternative to String and StringBuffer for heavy manipulation in (very) large strings, especially in regard to insertions and deletions.

    Scalaz includes class Rope[A] (see API and Rope.scala) and class WrappedRope[A] (see API) with a plethora of operations on rope strings.

    Implementations in Java include http://ahmadsoft.org/ropes/. A benchmarking study for this Java implementation may be found at http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/library/j-ropes/ .

    A publication on ropes as an alternative to strings may be found at http://citeseer.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.14.9450&rep=rep1&type=pdf