how do i search an arraylist for a specific format of a string in Java?

Question

I am trying to search an arraylist, not for a value but for a format. I am importing a text file that is inconsistent in formatting. I have successfully imported the information into a 2D arraylist . Is there a way to scrub the info for a format of a string?

example imported info:

14  03-324-27216|14     "1 = 14' 0"" X 3.500""" 14.000  49      3.500   MF AU 210 AS M  0   05-01-15    

14  03-362-50502|14 24543   "1 = 21' 6"" X 3.625""" 21.000  77      3.625   BF GP 212           
            Location REM                                
            V:24543 

Each line of the imported file may contain multiple dimensions and multiple lines. I would like to start a new Arraylist when the format

##-###-#####|## 

shows up, and add an element any time that

"# = ##' #"" x #.###""" 

show up.

Answer 1

From the two lines you posted it appears that is a space delimited CSV file. The downside is that some 'empty' elements were written as a space.

If you replace spaces with commas (unless they have a space on both sides) you get a properly formatted CSV file.

03-324-27216|14, , ,"1,=,14',0"",X,3.500""",14.000,,49, ,, ,3.500, ,MF,AU,210,AS,M,,0, ,05-01-15, ,,
03-362-50502|14,24543, ,"1,=,21',6"",X,3.625""",21.000,,77, ,, ,3.625, ,BF,GP,212, ,, ,, , ,

It may be easier to build a custom CSV parser that handles the weird 3 spaces in a row case.