Java regex：匹配一个字符，除非前面有另一个字符

Question

I'm trying to use String.Split() to split a query, in that case a HiveQL query.

The case I have is I want to split along ; except when that ; is preceded by a \\ . My problem :

String.Split(";") 

is not enough.

String.Split("[^\\\\];") 

(ie not a \\ followed by a ; ) applied on

select table; count table; 

will give groups "select tabl" , " count tabl" , so I lose the character before the ; .

Is there any solution ?

Answer 1

You need a negative lookbehind for that:

String.Split("(?<![\\\\]);");

Here is a demo on ideone .