How to search log line for a specific pattern format

[kmiklas (Keith Miklas)]

Is it possible to search for a generic pattern within a log line?

Our log lines are a bit disorganized. They come in many different flavors and formats from different systems, but they all contain a date and time stamp. It may be in different positions within the log line, but it does exist.

Take for example these three log lines:

ERR 01/01/2019 12:34:17:231 &&&& PID=1u5038u1jgk;lvdmn02t 49 hash this PROBLEM!!! 
~~~> myLog No. 476772233 ~~~~~~ 04/12/2019 12:34:17:231 user-->kmiklas blah 44626
#_ { date: 04/12/2019, time: 12:34:17:231 } ** user: kmiklas # 

Notice how all three of them have a date in the format mm/dd/yyyy, and a time in the format hh:mm:ss:mss.

If I want to grab the date from any of these lines, is there a way to search for a substring in the format nn/nn/nnnn in the line?

This would preclude the use of specific grok patterns, because there are hundreds of different lines and the date may be anywhere in the line.

Thanks for your help.
Sincerely,
Keith

[Badger]

Use grok. grok patterns are not anchored, so they will find the date and time anywhere in the line

    grok {
        break_on_match => false
        match => { "message" => [ "\b(?<date>\d{2}/\d{2}/\d{4})\b", "\b(?<time>\d{2}:\d{2}:\d{2})\b" ] }
    }