Implement String Matching Using Vectors in C++

This is another string matching method. In this approach, we are searching for a substring using vectors.

In C++ we can create vectors easily using the standard library. We are taking the main string and the string that will be searched as a vector, then searching it into the main string. When one match is found the function returns the address, and removes it from the main string. So in the next iteration, it starts from location 0 and searches again.

For multiple occurrences, we are using loops and repeatedly searching for the match, and return the position.

Input: Main String: “ABAAABCDBBABCDDEBCABC”, Pattern “ABC”
Output: Pattern found at position: 4
Pattern found at position: 10
Pattern found at position: 18

Algorithm

vector_pattern_search(main, substr)

Input − The main text and the substring.

Output − location where patterns are found

Begin
   p := starting point of the main string
   while r is not at the end of substr and p is not at the end of main, do
      r := starting of substr
      while item at position p & r are not same, and p in main, do
         p := p + 1
         i := i + 1
      done
      q := p
      while item at pos p & r are same, and r in substr and p in main, do
         p := p + 1
         i := i + 1
         r := r + 1
      done
      if r exceeds the substr, then
         delete first occurrence of substr from main
         return the position where substr is found

      if p exceeds main string, then
         return 0
         q := q + 1
         p := q
   done
End

Example Code

#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <vector>
using namespace std;

void take_string(vector<char> &string){
   char c;
   while(true){
      c = getchar();
      if(c == '\n'){
         break;
      }
      string.push_back(c);
   }
}

void display(vector<char> string){
   for(int i = 0; i<string.size(); i++){
      cout << string[i];
   }
}

int match_string(vector<char>& main, vector<char> substr){
   vector<char>::iterator p,q, r;
   int i = 0;

   p = main.begin();

   while (r <= substr.end() && p <= main.end()){
      r = substr.begin();
      while (*p != *r && p < main.end()){
         p++;
         i++;
      }
      q = p;

      while (*p == *r && r <= substr.end() && p<=main.end()){
         p++;
         i++;
         r++;
      }

      if (r >= substr.end()){
         main.erase(main.begin(), q + 1);
         return (i - substr.size() + 1);
      }

      if (p >= main.end())
         return 0;
         p = ++q;
   }
}

Output

Enter main String: C++ is programming language. It is object oriented language
Enter substring to find: language

Match found at Position = 20
Match found at Position = 52