MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - [Regex Search] Minimal match not possible?

eschwartz · 12-23-2014, 04:40 PM

The trick is don't use a dot-match-all symbol. Use a regex character class, like

Code:

[a-zA-Z0-9.?',"]

Or match all but tag brackets:

Code:

[^<>]

I found this regex tutorial to be very helpful in learning the various fine points of regex: http://www.regular-expressions.info/

There are some very interesting yet obscure applications in the corners.

Like this interesting use of negative lookarounds to find matching span tags, even when nested, and delete the matching sets:

Code:

<span[^<>]*>((?:(?!<(?:/?span)).)*)</span>

The bit on the inside finds only text that does not include the arbitrary string "</?span", inside matching span tags.

12-23-2014, 04:40 PM	#6
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	The trick is don't use a dot-match-all symbol. Use a regex character class, like Code: [a-zA-Z0-9.?',"] Or match all but tag brackets: Code: [^<>] I found this regex tutorial to be very helpful in learning the various fine points of regex: http://www.regular-expressions.info/ There are some very interesting yet obscure applications in the corners. Like this interesting use of negative lookarounds to find matching span tags, even when nested, and delete the matching sets: Code: <span[^<>]>((?:(?!<(?:/?span)).))</span> The bit on the inside finds only text that does not include the arbitrary string "</?span", inside matching span tags. Last edited by eschwartz; 12-23-2014 at 04:51 PM.