arrays - Split string with only first instance java -

i have below response telnet server

string response = "i:barco@noiclt22815||k:cms||o:regetperspectivelist||a0:googlep||a1:yahoop||a2:gmail||a3:test||a4:hello||a16:cctv barco||a17:cctv: corridor cc||a18:cctv: dr andy warhol||a19:cctv: dr gaudi (analog)||a20:cctv: dr miro||a21:cctv: entrance cc||a22:cctv: gaudi demo room megapixel||"; 

i want attributes value e.g a0, a1 etc , therefore write below logic

string[] strings = response.split("[||]"); list<string> list = new arraylist<>();  (string string : strings) {     if (string.contains(":")) {         string[] attributes = string.split(":");         if (attributes[0].startswith("a")) {             list.add(attributes[1]);         }     } } 

but problem string.split(":") split gives me string array requires 2 length size string array only. e.g. response a17 attribute gives me "cctv" attributes[1] , "corridor cc" attributes[2] requires "cctv: corridor cc" attribute [1] only.

what regular expression should write in string.split(regexp) string can split based on first instance of colon operator 2 length size string array.

the code below splits on pipes first, , then uses regex extract out properties , attributes. note there, away doing split.

string response = "i:barco@noiclt22815||k:cms||o:regetperspectivelist||a0:googlep||a1:yahoop||a2:gmail||a3:test||a4:hello||a16:cctv barco||a17:cctv: corridor cc||a18:cctv: dr andy warhol||a19:cctv: dr gaudi (analog)||a20:cctv: dr miro||a21:cctv: entrance cc||a22:cctv: gaudi demo room megapixel||"; string[] metaparts = response.split("\\|\\|");  (int i=0; < metaparts.length; ++i) {     string property = metaparts[i].replaceall("(.*):(.*)", "$1");     string attribute = metaparts[i].replaceall("(.*):(.*)", "$2");     system.out.println(property + ":" + attribute); } 

as others here have said, regular expressions not panacea cure development problems. , splitting doing heavy lifting problem.