c# - Parse String with Interval using Regex -

i have following regex:

string pattern = @"^(?<negate>!*)\[(?<value>.+?;.+?)\]$"; 

to parse strings "[2;8]" , "![2;8]". have:

match match = regex.match("[2;8]", pattern);  if (match.success) {    string[] values = match.groups["value"].value.split(';');    string minimum = values[0];   string maximum = values[1];    boolean negate = match.groups["negate"].value.length % 2 != 0;              } 

the problem regex not match "[;8]" or "[2;]".

how can change code can parse intervals min , max, min or max?

from test case, think may better efficiency using combination of string.split , indexof. i.e.

string input = "[2;8]"; bool negate = false; if(input[0] == '!'){     negate = true;     input = input.substring(1); }  string[] values = input.split(';'); string minimum = values[0]; string maximum = values[1]; 

however, simple modification of original pattern trick.

string pattern = @"^(?<negate>!*)\[(?<value>.*?;.*?)\]$"; 

the major problem here usage of '+?' requires there must single occurrence of value while '*?' means 0 or more.