jquery - how to parse a string in javascript and capture all text before the last <br> -

i have text in javascript this:

this text<br>this second line of text 

and want have function return

this text 

so find last

<br> 

in text , give me before it.

if text simple, .split() on <br>

var str = "this text<br>this second line of text" var result = str.split('<br>')[0]; 

if more complex, may worthwhile use browser's built in html parser, can operate on them dom nodes.

in case, this:

var div, result, str = "this text<br>this second line of text"; (div = document.createelement('div')).innerhtml = str; var result = div.firstchild.data; 

...or perhaps little simpler jquery:

var str = "this text<br>this second line of text" var result = $('<div>',{html:str}).contents().first().text();