uCalc API Version: 2.1.3-preview.2 Released: 6/17/2026

Warning

uCalc API Preview Release Notice:The documentation describes the intended behavior of the API. The current preview build contains incomplete features, unoptimized performance, and is subject to breaking changes.

Length = [int]

Property

Product: 

Transformer Library

Class: 

Match

Gets the length, in characters, of the substring captured by an individual match.

Remarks

The Length property returns the number of characters in the matched text for a single Match within a Matches collection.

How It's Calculated

The length is derived from the match's start and end positions within the source string. It is functionally equivalent to:

match.EndPosition() - match.StartPosition()

This makes it a convenient shortcut for determining the size of the captured substring.

💡 Comparative Analysis

This property is analogous to similar features in other text-processing libraries, such as .Length on a System.Text.RegularExpressions.Match object in .NET or strlen on a captured C-style string.

uCalc's advantage lies in its token-aware matching. While a regex match length might be misleading if the pattern incorrectly crosses structural boundaries (like parentheses or quotes), the length of a uCalc match reflects a structurally sound capture. For example, a match for {@Bracketed} will have a Length that correctly includes all nested content, a task notoriously difficult for basic regular expressions.

Examples

A practical example that iterates through all words in a sentence to find the one with the greatest length.
				
					using uCalcSoftware;

var uc = new uCalc();
var t = uc.NewTransformer();
t.Text = "Find the longest word in this sentence.";
t.Pattern("{@Alpha}"); // Match all words
t.Find();

int maxLength = 0;
string longestWord = "";
foreach(var match in t.Matches) {
   if (match.Length > maxLength) {
      maxLength = match.Length;
      longestWord = match.Text;
   }
}

Console.WriteLine($"Longest word is '{longestWord}' with length: {maxLength}");
				
			
Longest word is 'sentence' with length: 8
				
					#include <iostream>
#include "uCalc.h"

using namespace std;
using namespace uCalcSoftware;

int main() {
   uCalc uc;
   auto t = uc.NewTransformer();
   t.Text("Find the longest word in this sentence.");
   t.Pattern("{@Alpha}"); // Match all words
   t.Find();

   int maxLength = 0;
   string longestWord = "";
   for(auto match : t.Matches()) {
      if (match.Length() > maxLength) {
         maxLength = match.Length();
         longestWord = match.Text();
      }
   }

   cout << "Longest word is '" << longestWord << "' with length: " << maxLength << endl;
}
				
			
Longest word is 'sentence' with length: 8
				
					Imports System
Imports uCalcSoftware
Public Module Program
   Public Sub Main()
      Dim uc As New uCalc()
      Dim t = uc.NewTransformer()
      t.Text = "Find the longest word in this sentence."
      t.Pattern("{@Alpha}") '// Match all words
      t.Find()
      
      Dim maxLength As Integer = 0
      Dim longestWord As String = ""
      For Each match In t.Matches
         If match.Length > maxLength Then
            maxLength = match.Length
            longestWord = match.Text
         End If
      Next
      
      Console.WriteLine($"Longest word is '{longestWord}' with length: {maxLength}")
   End Sub
End Module
				
			
Longest word is 'sentence' with length: 8
Matches
				
					using uCalcSoftware;

var uc = new uCalc();
var t = uc.NewTransformer();
t.Text = "<h3>Title</h3><b>Bold statement</b><!--<h3>Title B</h3>--><b>Other text</b><p>My paragraph</p>";
//     0123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456
//     0         10        20        30        40        50        60        70        80        90
//     ^             ^                                           ^                ^                  ^
// Carrets (^) represent starting and ending point of the matches

t.Pattern("<{tag}>{text}</{tag}>");
t.Pattern("<b>{text}</b>");
t.Pattern("<h3>{text}</h3>");
t.SkipOver("<!--{text}-->");
t.Find();

foreach(var match in t.Matches) {
   Console.WriteLine(match.Text);
   Console.WriteLine($"Start pos: {match.StartPosition}");
   Console.WriteLine($"End pos: {match.EndPosition}");
   Console.WriteLine($"Length: {match.Length}");
   Console.WriteLine("");
}
				
			
<h3>Title</h3>
Start pos: 0
End pos: 14
Length: 14

<b>Bold statement</b>
Start pos: 14
End pos: 35
Length: 21

<b>Other text</b>
Start pos: 58
End pos: 75
Length: 17

<p>My paragraph</p>
Start pos: 75
End pos: 94
Length: 19
				
					#include <iostream>
#include "uCalc.h"

using namespace std;
using namespace uCalcSoftware;

int main() {
   uCalc uc;
   auto t = uc.NewTransformer();
   t.Text("<h3>Title</h3><b>Bold statement</b><!--<h3>Title B</h3>--><b>Other text</b><p>My paragraph</p>");
   //     0123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456
   //     0         10        20        30        40        50        60        70        80        90
   //     ^             ^                                           ^                ^                  ^
   // Carrets (^) represent starting and ending point of the matches

   t.Pattern("<{tag}>{text}</{tag}>");
   t.Pattern("<b>{text}</b>");
   t.Pattern("<h3>{text}</h3>");
   t.SkipOver("<!--{text}-->");
   t.Find();

   for(auto match : t.Matches()) {
      cout << match.Text() << endl;
      cout << "Start pos: " << match.StartPosition() << endl;
      cout << "End pos: " << match.EndPosition() << endl;
      cout << "Length: " << match.Length() << endl;
      cout << "" << endl;
   }
}
				
			
<h3>Title</h3>
Start pos: 0
End pos: 14
Length: 14

<b>Bold statement</b>
Start pos: 14
End pos: 35
Length: 21

<b>Other text</b>
Start pos: 58
End pos: 75
Length: 17

<p>My paragraph</p>
Start pos: 75
End pos: 94
Length: 19
				
					Imports System
Imports uCalcSoftware
Public Module Program
   Public Sub Main()
      Dim uc As New uCalc()
      Dim t = uc.NewTransformer()
      t.Text = "<h3>Title</h3><b>Bold statement</b><!--<h3>Title B</h3>--><b>Other text</b><p>My paragraph</p>"
      '//     0123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456
      '//     0         10        20        30        40        50        60        70        80        90
      '//     ^             ^                                           ^                ^                  ^
      '// Carrets (^) represent starting and ending point of the matches
      
      t.Pattern("<{tag}>{text}</{tag}>")
      t.Pattern("<b>{text}</b>")
      t.Pattern("<h3>{text}</h3>")
      t.SkipOver("<!--{text}-->")
      t.Find()
      
      For Each match In t.Matches
         Console.WriteLine(match.Text)
         Console.WriteLine($"Start pos: {match.StartPosition}")
         Console.WriteLine($"End pos: {match.EndPosition}")
         Console.WriteLine($"Length: {match.Length}")
         Console.WriteLine("")
      Next
   End Sub
End Module
				
			
<h3>Title</h3>
Start pos: 0
End pos: 14
Length: 14

<b>Bold statement</b>
Start pos: 14
End pos: 35
Length: 21

<b>Other text</b>
Start pos: 58
End pos: 75
Length: 17

<p>My paragraph</p>
Start pos: 75
End pos: 94
Length: 19
Returns Start and End positions of Transformer matches
				
					using uCalcSoftware;

var uc = new uCalc();
var t = uc.NewTransformer();
t.Text = "<br><h1>First</h1>Blah Blah<br>Testing<br><h2>Second</h2>";
//         ^             ^                       ^              ^
//     012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789
//     0         10        20        30        40        50
// Carrets (^) point to Start and End locations of the matches

Console.WriteLine(t.Text);
Console.WriteLine("");

t.Pattern("<{tag}>{etc}</{tag}>");
t.Find();
var Matches = t.Matches;

Console.WriteLine(Matches[0].Text);
Console.WriteLine($"Start pos: {Matches[0].StartPosition}");
Console.WriteLine($"End pos: {Matches[0].EndPosition}");
Console.WriteLine($"Length: {Matches[0].Length}");
Console.WriteLine("");

Console.WriteLine(Matches[1].Text);
Console.WriteLine($"Start pos: {Matches[1].StartPosition}");
Console.WriteLine($"End pos: {Matches[1].EndPosition}");
Console.WriteLine($"Length: {Matches[1].Length}");
				
			
<br><h1>First</h1>Blah Blah<br>Testing<br><h2>Second</h2>

<h1>First</h1>
Start pos: 4
End pos: 18
Length: 14

<h2>Second</h2>
Start pos: 42
End pos: 57
Length: 15
				
					#include <iostream>
#include "uCalc.h"

using namespace std;
using namespace uCalcSoftware;

int main() {
   uCalc uc;
   auto t = uc.NewTransformer();
   t.Text("<br><h1>First</h1>Blah Blah<br>Testing<br><h2>Second</h2>");
   //         ^             ^                       ^              ^
   //     012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789
   //     0         10        20        30        40        50
   // Carrets (^) point to Start and End locations of the matches

   cout << t.Text() << endl;
   cout << "" << endl;

   t.Pattern("<{tag}>{etc}</{tag}>");
   t.Find();
   auto Matches = t.Matches();

   cout << Matches[0].Text() << endl;
   cout << "Start pos: " << Matches[0].StartPosition() << endl;
   cout << "End pos: " << Matches[0].EndPosition() << endl;
   cout << "Length: " << Matches[0].Length() << endl;
   cout << "" << endl;

   cout << Matches[1].Text() << endl;
   cout << "Start pos: " << Matches[1].StartPosition() << endl;
   cout << "End pos: " << Matches[1].EndPosition() << endl;
   cout << "Length: " << Matches[1].Length() << endl;
}
				
			
<br><h1>First</h1>Blah Blah<br>Testing<br><h2>Second</h2>

<h1>First</h1>
Start pos: 4
End pos: 18
Length: 14

<h2>Second</h2>
Start pos: 42
End pos: 57
Length: 15
				
					Imports System
Imports uCalcSoftware
Public Module Program
   Public Sub Main()
      Dim uc As New uCalc()
      Dim t = uc.NewTransformer()
      t.Text = "<br><h1>First</h1>Blah Blah<br>Testing<br><h2>Second</h2>"
      '//         ^             ^                       ^              ^
      '//     012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789
      '//     0         10        20        30        40        50
      '// Carrets (^) point to Start and End locations of the matches
      
      Console.WriteLine(t.Text)
      Console.WriteLine("")
      
      t.Pattern("<{tag}>{etc}</{tag}>")
      t.Find()
      Dim Matches = t.Matches
      
      Console.WriteLine(Matches(0).Text)
      Console.WriteLine($"Start pos: {Matches(0).StartPosition}")
      Console.WriteLine($"End pos: {Matches(0).EndPosition}")
      Console.WriteLine($"Length: {Matches(0).Length}")
      Console.WriteLine("")
      
      Console.WriteLine(Matches(1).Text)
      Console.WriteLine($"Start pos: {Matches(1).StartPosition}")
      Console.WriteLine($"End pos: {Matches(1).EndPosition}")
      Console.WriteLine($"Length: {Matches(1).Length}")
   End Sub
End Module
				
			
<br><h1>First</h1>Blah Blah<br>Testing<br><h2>Second</h2>

<h1>First</h1>
Start pos: 4
End pos: 18
Length: 14

<h2>Second</h2>
Start pos: 42
End pos: 57
Length: 15
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