How to configure regex in transforms.conf to extract values for a field?

[TheJagoff]

Hello,

I am attempting to figure out a regex for a transforms.conf for a field named Call Reason

Example data looks like this

A - Call plan question
B - Data plan question
C - Cellular telephone function question
D - Weak call signal

My goal is to transform the Call Reason field to eliminate the first 4 characters (Alpha space - space) of each row so the it shows as

Call plan question
Data plan question
Cellular telephone function question
Weak call signal

Any help is deeply appreciated as I am very weak in REGEX.

Many thanks

[somesoni2 · Accepted solution]

You can do this either by using calculated field (in props.conf only) OR transforms.conf both.

Calculated field - props.conf

[yourSourcetype]
EVAL-field=substr(YourFieldName,5)

Transform
props.conf

[yourSourcetype]
REPORT-field = mytransform

transforms.conf

[mytransform]
SOURCE_KEY = YourFieldName
REGEX = ^(.{4})(?<YourFieldName>.+)

To see these regex/function working in search, see this run anywhere sample

| gentimes start=-1 | eval Reason="A - Call plan question." | table Reason| rex field=Reason "^.{4}(?<Field>.+)" | eval Field2=substr(Reason,5)

[TheJagoff]

Hey, thanks for the reply, I got called away and will look into this tomorrow morning. Thanks again.

[TheJagoff]

Hey, I ran the anywhere sample and it worked, however, when I put it in the transforms.conf and restarted I got the following:

Checking conf files for problems...
Bad regex value: '^(.{4})(?<Call Reason>.+)', of param: transforms.conf / [trans-callreason] / REGEX; why: syntax error in subpattern name (missing terminator)

in my props.conf:

REPORT-field = trans-callreason

transforms.conf

[trans-callreason]
SOURCE_KEY = "Call Reason"
REGEX = ^(.{4})(?.+)

I'll start looking into this error but please cut in if it's an obvious error on my part.

Thanks.

[TheJagoff]

Call Reason is not showing in this forum when I typed it into the REGEX statement...

But that is what I have between the (?< and the >.+)

Sorry for being confusing...

[somesoni2]

The extracted field names can't have spaces. So replace space with underscore in REGEX and try again.

[TheJagoff]

Hi,
You are absolutely correct - no spaces. Thanks!