String manyNumbers = "24 , 34; 987 007" ; String[] pieces = manyNumbers.split( " *[;, ] *" );
The same array as a previous fragment:
String pieces = {"24", "34", "987", "007"};
The RE that describes delimiters " *[;, ] *"
insists that there be at least one
of semicolon, comma, or space between items.
There can be any number of additional spaces.
If there are no matches with the RE, then the resulting array
has a single cell, containing a reference to the original string.
Ie., no new String object is created.
The following
String manyPets = "Ant, Bat, Cat, Dog" ; String[] pieces = manyPets.split( " *; *" );
produces an array of one cell
String[] pieces = {manyPets};
The phrase {manyPets} means an array
of one cell,
containing the same value that is in the reference
variable manyPets.
Would it be useful to place a limit on the size
of the array that split() creates?