Extract words between the word "for" and the opening parenthesis "(" in an email subject line. Email subject line is the input

Question

The client's name is after the word "for" and before the opening parenthesis "(" that starts the proposal number. I need to extract the client name to use to look up the deal in a future step. What would be the easiest way to set this up? Using Zapier Extract Pattern or to Use Zapier Code in Python?

I have tried this and it did not work. It seemed promising though.

input_data

client = Reminder: Leruths has sent you a proposal for Business Name (#642931)

import regex
rgx = regex.compile(r'(?si)(?|{0}(.*?){1}|{1}(.*?)
{0})'.format('for', '('))
s1 = 'client'
for s in [s1]:
m = rgx.findall
for x in m:
print x.strip()

I have also tried this and it did not work.

start = mystring.find( 'for' )
end = mystring.find( '(' )
if start != -1 and end != -1:
result = mystring[start+1:end]

I am looking for Business Name to be returned in my example.

Answer 1

Fastest way:

start = client.find('for')
end = client.find('(')
result = client[start+4:end-1]
print(result)

With regex:

result = re.search(r' for (.*) [(]', client)
print(result.group(1))

There is probably a cleaner way to do this, but here is another solution without regex

client = "Reminder: Leruths has sent you a proposal for Business Name (#642931)"

cs = client.split(" ")
name = ""
append = False
for word in cs:
    if "for" == word:
        append = True
    elif word.startswith("("):
        append = False
    if append is True and word != "for":
        name += (word + " ")
name = name.strip()
print(name)

Another method:

client = "Reminder: Leruths has sent you a proposal for Business Name (#642931)"

cs = client.split(" ")
name = ""
forindex = cs.index("for")

for i in range(forindex+1, len(cs)):
    if cs[i].startswith("("):
        break
    name += cs[i] + " "
name = name.strip()

print(name)

Running the code below gives:

Regex method took 2.3912417888641357 seconds
Search word by word method took 4.78193998336792 seconds
Search with list index method took 3.1756017208099365 seconds
String indexing method took 0.8496286869049072 seconds

Code to check the fastest to get the name over a million tries:

import re
import time

client = "Reminder: Leruths has sent you a proposal for Business Name (#642931)"

def withRegex(client):
    result = re.search(r' for (.*) [(]', client)
    return(result.group(1))

def searchWordbyWord(client):
    cs = client.split(" ")
    name = ""
    append = False
    for word in cs:
        if "for" == word:
            append = True
        elif word.startswith("("):
            append = False
        if append is True and word != "for":
            name += (word + " ")
    name = name.strip()
    return name

def searchWithListIndex(client):
    cs = client.split(" ")
    name = ""
    forindex = cs.index("for")

    for i in range(forindex+1, len(cs)):
        if cs[i].startswith("("):
            break
        name += cs[i] + " "
    name = name.strip()

    return name

def stringIndexing(client):
    start = client.find('for')
    end = client.find('(')
    result = client[start+4:end-1]
    return result

wr = time.time()
for x in range(1,1000000):
    withRegex(client)
wr = time.time() - wr
print("Regex method took " + str(wr) + " seconds")

sw = time.time()
for x in range(1,1000000):
    searchWordbyWord(client)
sw = time.time() - sw
print("Search word by word method took " + str(sw) + " seconds")

wl = time.time()
for x in range(1,1000000):
    searchWithListIndex(client)
wl = time.time() - wl
print("Search with list index method took " + str(wl) + " seconds")

si = time.time()
for x in range(1,1000000):
    stringIndexing(client)
si = time.time() - si
print("String indexing method took " + str(si) + " seconds")