Regex query with Google spreadsheet scripts

Question

I'm trying to finish off a Google Apps Script to reformat a field that I would ideally like to turn into a hyperlink.

This is the common format of the text in the spreadsheet:

tistaff: other sections: person: randomname

This is how I would like it to appear:

<li><a href="http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/topics/person/randomname">randomname</a></li>

I've done most of the work except the end bit, which I just can't work out. Can anyone help.

Here's my script:

function HTMLtransform() {
  var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet();
  for(var c=1; c<sheet.getLastRow(); c++){
    var rng = sheet.getRange("B"+c);
    var rplc = sheet.getRange("F"+c);
    var value = String(rng.getValue());
    
    var replVal = new String('test');
    
    var target = 'test'; // this variable is designed to capture the unique bit of the variable
    
    target = value.replace(/tistaff: other sections:[a-z]*: ([a-z]*)$/, '$1');// this variable is designed to capture the unique bit of the variable
   
    replVal = value;
    replVal = replVal.replace(/ company:/, 'company/');
    replVal = replVal.replace(/ person:/, 'person/');
    replVal = replVal.replace(/ place:/, 'place/');
    replVal = replVal.replace(/tistaff: other sections:/, '<li><a href="http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/topics/');
    
    replVal = replVal.replace(/ ([a-z]*)$/, '');
    replVal = replVal + target + '">' + target + '</a></li>';
                              
                              
    
    rplc.setValue(replVal);
  }
}

It works to a point, but this is the output:

**<li><a href="http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/topics/person/tistaff: other sections: person: randomname">tistaff: other sections: person: randomname</a></li>**

What am I doing wrong?

Answer 1

Here's the finished code:

I didn't realise that you could insert a subpattern more than once.

function HTMLtransform() {
  var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet();
  for(var c=1; c<sheet.getLastRow(); c++){
    var rng = sheet.getRange("B"+c);
    var rplc = sheet.getRange("F"+c);
   var value = String(rng.getValue());

    regexFormat = /tistaff: other sections: (place|company|person): ([a-z]*)$/

   // var replVal = new String('test');


    replVal = value.replace(regexFormat, '<li><a href="http://www.thisisstaffordshire.co.uk/topics/$1/$2'+'">$2</a></li>');




      rplc.setValue(replVal);
  }
}