[FIXED] Appending a +1 to string of digits with re.sub

Issue

How do I use the re.sub python method to append +1 to a phone number?

When I use the following function it changes this string "802-867-5309" to this string "+1+15309". I'm trying to get this string "+1-802-867-5309". The examples in the docs replace show how to replace the entire string I don't want to replace the entire string just append a +1

import re
def transform_record(record):
  new_record = re.sub("[0-9]+-","+1", record)
  return new_record

print(transform_record("Some sample text 802-867-5309 some more sample text here"))

Solution

If you can match your phone numbers with a pattern you may refer to the match value using \g<0> backreference in the replacement.

So, taking the simplest pattern like \d+-\d+-\d+ that matches your phone number, you may use

new_record = re.sub(r"\d+-\d+-\d+", r"+1-\g<0>", record)

See the regex demo. See more ideas on how to match phone numbers at Find phone numbers in python script.

See the Python demo:

import re
def transform_record(record):
  new_record = re.sub(r"\d+-\d+-\d+", r"+1-\g<0>", record)
  return new_record

print(transform_record("Some sample text 802-867-5309 some more sample text here"))
# => Some sample text +1-802-867-5309 some more sample text here

Answered By - Wiktor Stribiżew