Backreferencing "or" expressions

ElMiko · 07-31-2012, 07:53 AM

I want to find all instances of quotation marks inside <i> tags

Code:

<i>“|”</i>

and then replace all so that the quotation marks are on the outside, but I'm coming up empty. Placing "|" in the replace field merely does a literal character replacement. And breaking up the search into four parentheticals, and trying to backreference them also didn't work. Obviously, this is an exceedingly straighforward search/replace action in two steps, but I'm wondering if there's a magic bullet out there that can get it done in a single step (that is, a single action that combines both searches and yields the desired replacement values).

I was using the following test string:

Code:

<p><i>“Hello, I love you,”</i> I said.</p>
<p><i>“Won't you tell me your name?”</i></p>

with the desired result of

Code:

<p>“<i>Hello, I love you,</i>” I said.</p>
<p>“<i>Won't you tell me your name?</i>”</p>

Jellby · 07-31-2012, 09:11 AM

I'm not sure it works in Sigil's regex dialect, but this seems to work in vim:

Code:

%s/\(<i>\)\(“\)\|\(”\)\(<\/i>\)/\2\1\4\3/g

which could translate to:

search:

Code:

(<i>)(“)|(”)(</i>)

replace:

Code:

\2\1\4\3

Serpentine · 07-31-2012, 11:32 AM

Dont see why you're trying to do fancy stuff, given the very easy sample set, it might be worth just using the simplest case:

Code:

Find : <i\b[^<>]*>([^“]*)“([^”]+)”([^“”]*)</i>

Replace : \1“<i>\2</i>”\3

Just grep first to be safe, it will eat homework.

Jabby · 07-31-2012, 01:31 PM

Would't this work?
Find:

Code:

<i>“(.*?)”</i>

Replace:

Code:

"<i>\1</i>"

Regards - John

mmat1 · 07-31-2012, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jabby

Would't this work?

Of course this will work with the samples. As well as a non-regex-replace in two steps.

The interesting part of the question was how to backref something which is found with an "or-clause".

ElMiko · 08-02-2012, 10:06 AM

PS - this is why I don't like giving sample sets.... because people try to match the sets instead of the premise. Indeed, the italic/quotation mark search is merely the scenario that inspired me to look for an answer to the "or" backreference question, but there is literally an infinitude of "or" searches.

Nevertheless, I do i appreciate the help you've all volunteered on the quotation mark issue.

07-31-2012, 07:53 AM	#1
ElMiko Evangelist Posts: 447 Karma: 65460 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: Kindle	Backreferencing "or" expressions I want to find all instances of quotation marks inside <i> tags Code: <i>“\|”</i> and then replace all so that the quotation marks are on the outside, but I'm coming up empty. Placing "\|" in the replace field merely does a literal character replacement. And breaking up the search into four parentheticals, and trying to backreference them also didn't work. Obviously, this is an exceedingly straighforward search/replace action in two steps, but I'm wondering if there's a magic bullet out there that can get it done in a single step (that is, a single action that combines both searches and yields the desired replacement values). I was using the following test string: Code: <p><i>“Hello, I love you,”</i> I said.</p> <p><i>“Won't you tell me your name?”</i></p> with the desired result of Code: <p>“<i>Hello, I love you,</i>” I said.</p> <p>“<i>Won't you tell me your name?</i>”</p> Last edited by ElMiko; 07-31-2012 at 07:59 AM.

07-31-2012, 09:11 AM	#2
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,549 Karma: 19500001 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	I'm not sure it works in Sigil's regex dialect, but this seems to work in vim: Code: %s/\(<i>\)\(“\)\\|\(”\)\(<\/i>\)/\2\1\4\3/g which could translate to: search: Code: (<i>)(“)\|(”)(</i>) replace: Code: \2\1\4\3

07-31-2012, 11:32 AM	#3
Serpentine Evangelist Posts: 416 Karma: 1045911 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Cape Town, South Africa Device: Kindle 3	Dont see why you're trying to do fancy stuff, given the very easy sample set, it might be worth just using the simplest case: Code: Find : <i\b[^<>]>([^“])“([^”]+)”([^“”]*)</i> Replace : \1“<i>\2</i>”\3 Just grep first to be safe, it will eat homework.

07-31-2012, 01:31 PM	#4
Jabby Jr. - Junior Member Posts: 586 Karma: 2000358 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Alabama Device: Archos, Asus, HP, Lenovo, Nexus and Samsung tablets in 7,8 and 10"	Would't this work? Find: Code: <i>“(.*?)”</i> Replace: Code: "<i>\1</i>" Regards - John

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08-02-2012, 10:06 AM	#6
ElMiko Evangelist Posts: 447 Karma: 65460 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: Kindle	PS - this is why I don't like giving sample sets.... because people try to match the sets instead of the premise. Indeed, the italic/quotation mark search is merely the scenario that inspired me to look for an answer to the "or" backreference question, but there is literally an infinitude of "or" searches. Nevertheless, I do i appreciate the help you've all volunteered on the quotation mark issue.

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