Regex capturing variables

Lonas · 07-21-2010, 05:11 AM

Hi all,

I don't know if I am just doing it wrong but it seems that Sigil currently does not support the selection/capturing of string tokens with a regex to use it later in the Replace/Find dialogue. Is that correct?

I tried the Perl syntax with $1, $2, ... and I also tried cap(1), cap(2), ... and capturedTexts()[1], capturedTexts()[2], ... as specified in the QRegExp documentation (QRegExp is obviously the regex implementation used by Sigil, look here for its documentation on capturing variables: http://doc.qt.nokia.com/3.3/qregexp.html#1-5).

This would be a very important feature for me as I commonly run across badly converted PDF outputs which need to be fixed.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

capidamonte · 07-21-2010, 07:27 AM

Try \1 \2

Lonas · 07-21-2010, 07:37 AM

Excellent, that worked!

Thanks a lot for the quick answer!

I suggest putting that in the documentation, maybe other users might find it helpful as well...

calvin · 07-21-2010, 03:24 PM

Hi,
I have exactly the same problem but \1 \2 does not work either...

I am trying to remove additional brakes:
find what: [a-z0-9]<br class="calibre 4" />
replace with: \1

all I get is the character which is found by the first search replaced with "\1", nothing else.

using sigil 0.2.3

capidamonte · 07-21-2010, 09:00 PM

You've got to put something in parentheses:

find: ([a-z0-9])<br class-"calibre 4" />
replace: \1

This will find a lower-case letter or number followed by the <br ...> and replace it with whatever the lower-case letter or number is. The <br ...> will disappear.

BTW, I'd add a space to the replace -- \1\s -- as changing multiple spaces is easy, but spell checking mis-joined words is not.

calvin · 07-22-2010, 05:48 AM

THANKS! that worked

I googled several pages but nowhere found the tip with the parantheses...

one other question, if I search for "a-z" it will find capital letters too. That seems to me not correct or?

thanks
calvin

capidamonte · 07-22-2010, 03:21 PM

Sets of parentheses, from left to right, correspond to the numbers you use in the replace: first set -- \1, second set -- \2, etc.

Quote:

one other question, if I search for "a-z" it will find capital letters too.

Not correct, as you suspect. Click the "More" button in the replace dialog. Make sure the "Match Case" radio button is checked.

calvin · 07-22-2010, 04:29 PM

thanks for your help!

calvin

Valloric · 07-25-2010, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lonas

I suggest putting that in the documentation, maybe other users might find it helpful as well...

It's already in the documentation, and has been for a while.

Lonas · 08-14-2010, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valloric

It's already in the documentation, and has been for a while.

Oh okay sorry, I did not see that - or more accurately did not understand that back-reference means exactly this thing

07-22-2010, 05:48 AM	#6
calvin DRM remover Posts: 84 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North of Germany Device: Kindle 3, 4 & Touch, iPhone/iPad, Hanvon N516 (OpenInkpot)	THANKS! that worked I googled several pages but nowhere found the tip with the parantheses... one other question, if I search for "a-z" it will find capital letters too. That seems to me not correct or? thanks calvin Last edited by calvin; 07-22-2010 at 07:56 AM.

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07-21-2010, 05:11 AM	#1
Lonas Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2010 Device: iPad	Regex capturing variables Hi all, I don't know if I am just doing it wrong but it seems that Sigil currently does not support the selection/capturing of string tokens with a regex to use it later in the Replace/Find dialogue. Is that correct? I tried the Perl syntax with $1, $2, ... and I also tried cap(1), cap(2), ... and capturedTexts()[1], capturedTexts()[2], ... as specified in the QRegExp documentation (QRegExp is obviously the regex implementation used by Sigil, look here for its documentation on capturing variables: http://doc.qt.nokia.com/3.3/qregexp.html#1-5). This would be a very important feature for me as I commonly run across badly converted PDF outputs which need to be fixed. Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

07-21-2010, 07:27 AM	#2
capidamonte Not who you think I am... Posts: 374 Karma: 30283 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Honolulu Device: PocketBook 360 -- Ivory	Try \1 \2

07-21-2010, 07:37 AM	#3
Lonas Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2010 Device: iPad	Excellent, that worked! Thanks a lot for the quick answer! I suggest putting that in the documentation, maybe other users might find it helpful as well...

07-21-2010, 03:24 PM	#4
calvin DRM remover Posts: 84 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North of Germany Device: Kindle 3, 4 & Touch, iPhone/iPad, Hanvon N516 (OpenInkpot)	Hi, I have exactly the same problem but \1 \2 does not work either... I am trying to remove additional brakes: find what: [a-z0-9]<br class="calibre 4" /> replace with: \1 all I get is the character which is found by the first search replaced with "\1", nothing else. using sigil 0.2.3

07-21-2010, 09:00 PM	#5
capidamonte Not who you think I am... Posts: 374 Karma: 30283 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Honolulu Device: PocketBook 360 -- Ivory	You've got to put something in parentheses: find: ([a-z0-9])<br class-"calibre 4" /> replace: \1 This will find a lower-case letter or number followed by the <br ...> and replace it with whatever the lower-case letter or number is. The <br ...> will disappear. BTW, I'd add a space to the replace -- \1\s -- as changing multiple spaces is easy, but spell checking mis-joined words is not.

07-22-2010, 04:29 PM	#8
calvin DRM remover Posts: 84 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North of Germany Device: Kindle 3, 4 & Touch, iPhone/iPad, Hanvon N516 (OpenInkpot)	thanks for your help! calvin

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