GURUS: Can't break out a certain piece of a string and put in another column (complicated)

first things first, it should definitely be possible. i'm not certain exactly how, but regular expressions come to mind (i've never actually written anything w/ regular expressions, but saw someone else solve a problem kinda like this with them).

i'm working on something a bit less elegant.

this seems to be working on the sample data:

Sub find_numbers()
Dim rng As Range
Dim lr As Long

Application.Calculation = xlCalculationManual
Application.EnableEvents = False
Application.ScreenUpdating = False


lr = Range("A" & Rows.Count).End(xlUp).Row
For Each rng In Range("A2:A" & lr)
rng.Offset(0, 1) = DN(rng)
Next rng

Application.Calculation = xlCalculationAutomatic
Application.EnableEvents = True
Application.ScreenUpdating = True


End Sub

Function DN(ByVal str1 As String) As String
    Dim x, i As Long
    Const Patrn1 As String = "3###-##"
    Const Patrn2 As String = "4###-##"
    
    For i = 1 To Len(str1)
        If Mid(str1, i, 7) Like Patrn1 Then DN = Mid(str1, i, 7): Exit Function
        If Mid(str1, i, 7) Like Patrn2 Then DN = Mid(str1, i, 7): Exit Function
    Next
End Function

(borrowed heavily from here: http://www.mrexcel.com/forum/excel-q...character.html)

Here's another:

Sub Lougs(): Dim R As Range, C As String, S As String, n As Long
                                C = "A:A"  'Assign Column of Interest here
        For Each R In Range(C)
    S = Replace( Replace(R.Value, "- ", "-"), " -", "-")
                If S Like "*-####-##*" Then
n = WorksheetFunction.MIN(InStr(1, S, "-3"), InStr(1, S, "-4"))
        If n = 0 Then GoTo GetNext
R.Offset(0, 1) = Mid(S, n + 1, 7)
R.Value = Mid(S, 1, n - 1) & Mid(S, n + 8, Len(S) - 8)
                End If
GetNext: Next
End Sub

You're welcome and thanks for the rep!