Check if string matches another word following a pattern

Question

I got a variable string which equals shid!

I'd like a regular expression that renders true if the inputed string matches every character of the previous variable string in the good order.

As I always fail to explain properly what I want to do, here is an example of possible inputs and outputs:

• shid! returns true
• shid returns false
• shhhhiddd! returns true
• ssssshhhhiiiiiddd!!!! returns true
• hsid! returns false

For the ritual question "What did I try", I'm not used to regular expression. So my answer would be this: "shid!" =~ /s.*!/, and obviouly this isn't the good answer and I know why, but don't know how to fix it. Thanks for the kind help

Answer 1

Try:

string = 'shid!'
reg = Regexp.new string.split('').join('+')


!!('shid!' =~ reg)    #=> true
!!('shid' =~ reg)     #=> false
!!('shhhhiddd!' =~ reg) #=> true
!!('ssssshhhhiiiiiddd!!!!' =~ reg)  #=> true
!!('hsid!' =~ reg) #=> false

Answer 2

You can do using #squeeze

str.squeeze == 'shid!' #=> true

Answer 3

I'm not sure I've got the question. But maybe it's what you are looking for:

str = 'ssssshhhhiiiiiddd!!!!'
str.split('').uniq.join == 'shid!' #=> true