Remove parts of a string and copy the rest back to a file with vbscript - vbscript

Question

I would like to remove the unwanted text from each string in a file.
the input string looks like this
username^time stamp^don't need this printed on printer name more useless info pages printed:some number
I want to remove everything else but keep the username,time stamp,printer name and some number.Then write each line to a file so the output looks like this
username timestamp printername some number
This is the code I'm working with
Set fs = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
sf = "C:\test.txt"
Set f = fs.OpenTextFile(sf, 1) ''1=for reading
s = f.ReadAll
segments = Split(s,"^",-1)
s= segments(1,)
f.Close
Set f = fs.OpenTextFile(sf, 2) ''2=ForWriting
f.Write s
f.Close

Answer 1

There's always a moment that somebody asks "Why not use a regular expression?". This is that moment.
Try this:
Dim re, s, match, matches
s = "Chuck Norris^12-12-2012^don't need this printed on HAL9000 more useless info pages printed:42 "
Set re = new regexp
re.pattern = "(.*)\^(.*)\^.*printed on (\w+).*pages printed:(\d+).*"
re.Global = True
Set matches = re.Execute(s)
Set match = matches(0)
msgbox "username=" & match.submatches(0)
msgbox "time stamp=" & match.submatches(1)
msgbox "printer=" & match.submatches(2)
msgbox "pages printed=" & match.submatches(3)
Neat huh? And I bet you'll figure out how to implement it in your existing code.

Answer 2

Code:
Const csSep = "^"
'username^time^(other arbitrary junk)^printer name^(other arbitrary junk)^page count
Dim sJunk : sJunk = "kurt^01:02:03^some junk^nec p7^nix^123"
WScript.Echo sJunk
Dim aParts : aParts = Split(sJunk, csSep)
Dim sNetto : sNetto = Join(Array(aParts(0),aParts(1),aParts(3),aParts(5)), csSep)
WScript.Echo sNetto
output:
kurt^01:02:03^some junk^nec p7^nix^123
kurt^01:02:03^nec p7^123