String.prototype.split is good for cutting records into fields based on a
delimiter string or regexp. E.g.
rec.split( ',' ) // split CSV record (no commas in fields)
rec.split( /\s+/ ) // split into whitespace-separated fields
How about extending 'split', or inventing a new method 'splitlen', which
splits a record into defined-length fields? This simplifies a long list of
'substring's.
Old data formats invented in the days of punch-cards are still around. For
example NASA's two-line element set
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-line_element_set)
which records the orbital elements of Earth satellites.
E.g. here is the TLE for for International Space Station:
ISS (ZARYA)
1 25544U 98067A 08264.51782528 -.00002182 00000-0 -11606-4 0 2927
2 25544 51.6416 247.4627 0006703 130.5360 325.0288 15.72125391563537
Proposed design:
split( len1, len2, len3, len4, ..... ) // returns array of fields
where each numeric length argument either
(1) captures a field of the given length if positive, or
(2) ignores a field of the absolute given length if negative.
The special argument "*" could repeat the previous argument to the end of
the record.
Examples:
// chop into 5-char fields
rec.split( 5, "*" )
// capture a 1-char and a 5-char field and all chars after index 17
rec.split( -7, 1, 5, -4, Infinity )
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