Help with regex POSIX class search

bfollowell · 05-19-2011, 03:03 PM

Maybe it would be a good idea for a whole subforum related to regex searching!

I'm stuck on yet another regex search. I'm trying to find any punctuation characters that don't have a space following them. Looking at my regex cheatsheet, it looks like I should be able to do this with a POSIX class search. I've tried [:punct:]\S but it doesn't seem to work. Instead, this search shows me every occurrence of the letters p, u, n, c & t that aren't followed by whitespace. Pretty much, it's doing the same as a grouping, like [punct]\S. It's like Sigil isn't paying any attention at all to the fact that there are colons in the search string.

Am I missing something or doing something completely wrong here?

Any assistance would be most appreciated.

Thanks.

- Byron

huebi · 05-20-2011, 01:50 AM

Code:

:punct:

is not available in Sigil. use something like [.,!?]

Jellby · 05-20-2011, 04:10 AM

I believe Sigil uses QRegExp at the moment.

bfollowell · 05-20-2011, 04:37 AM

Thanks for the info guys. I'll find a workaround like you mentioned huebi. When you say it isn't available in Sigil, do you mean the punct search or POSIX class searches in general?

Jellby, thanks for the QRegExp reference. I'm sure it will come in handy.

I really appreciate your guys' help.

- Byron

Faster · 05-20-2011, 01:57 PM

POSIX is not implemented in Sigil. In this case it wouldn't help you anyway unless you are planning on doing a one-by-one replacement rather than Replace All.
Think what would happen to this: "Hello!"
My guess is that it would become " Hello! "

Try this for your search:
Find: ([^\nA-z0-9 -“/])([^ \n”])
Repl: \1 \2
In the Find string there is a space between the 9 and the dash. See below for quotes.
In the Repl string there's a space between the \1 and \2.
You will need to tweak it to suit your needs by adding, in the Find string, any punctuation you do not want followed by a space.
For example if you're using it in Code View then use this Find string: ([^\nA-z0-9 -“/<>])([^ \n”]) to avoid angular brackets having spaces added after.
The problem is quotes. If you can, make the double quotes curly - the first one of the type that occurs at the start of a quote (opening) and the second one of the type that ends a quote (closing). The text being searched must also have curly quotes.
Interestingly the search string does not find square brackets or the '&' not followed by a space. Sort of convenient!

bfollowell · 05-20-2011, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Faster

POSIX is not implemented in Sigil. In this case it wouldn't help you anyway unless you are planning on doing a one-by-one replacement rather than Replace All.
Think what would happen to this: "Hello!"
My guess is that it would become " Hello! "

Faster,

This wouldn't be a problem for me as I didn't plan to batch correct in this instance; only investigate. Thanks for your advice though. I'll look it over and try it out.

- Byron

cybmole · 05-21-2011, 06:16 AM

NB sometimes it is correct for there not to be a space after a punctuation mark as in thre "hello!" example above, or as in
"right," said Fred

the "rule" may be that punctuation should be followed either by a space or by a quote mark, but initials may be another exception : J.B.Lenoir or J. B. Lenoir ?

Jellby · 05-21-2011, 10:55 AM

Or numbers: 3.1416
Or parentheses: (Like this.)
...

05-19-2011, 03:03 PM	#1
bfollowell Fanatic Posts: 541 Karma: 1152752 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Evansville, IN, USA Device: Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Nook & Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5	Help with regex POSIX class search Maybe it would be a good idea for a whole subforum related to regex searching! I'm stuck on yet another regex search. I'm trying to find any punctuation characters that don't have a space following them. Looking at my regex cheatsheet, it looks like I should be able to do this with a POSIX class search. I've tried [:punct:]\S but it doesn't seem to work. Instead, this search shows me every occurrence of the letters p, u, n, c & t that aren't followed by whitespace. Pretty much, it's doing the same as a grouping, like [punct]\S. It's like Sigil isn't paying any attention at all to the fact that there are colons in the search string. Am I missing something or doing something completely wrong here? Any assistance would be most appreciated. Thanks. - Byron Last edited by bfollowell; 05-19-2011 at 05:05 PM.

05-20-2011, 01:50 AM	#2
huebi Zealot Posts: 121 Karma: 5070 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: none	Code: :punct: is not available in Sigil. use something like [.,!?]

05-20-2011, 01:57 PM	#5
Faster Connoisseur Posts: 61 Karma: 12096 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Tasmania Device: Sony PRS 650	POSIX is not implemented in Sigil. In this case it wouldn't help you anyway unless you are planning on doing a one-by-one replacement rather than Replace All. Think what would happen to this: "Hello!" My guess is that it would become " Hello! " Try this for your search: Find: ([^\nA-z0-9 -“/])([^ \n”]) Repl: \1 \2 In the Find string there is a space between the 9 and the dash. See below for quotes. In the Repl string there's a space between the \1 and \2. You will need to tweak it to suit your needs by adding, in the Find string, any punctuation you do not want followed by a space. For example if you're using it in Code View then use this Find string: ([^\nA-z0-9 -“/<>])([^ \n”]) to avoid angular brackets having spaces added after. The problem is quotes. If you can, make the double quotes curly - the first one of the type that occurs at the start of a quote (opening) and the second one of the type that ends a quote (closing). The text being searched must also have curly quotes. Interestingly the search string does not find square brackets or the '&' not followed by a space. Sort of convenient! Last edited by Faster; 05-20-2011 at 02:36 PM.

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05-20-2011, 04:10 AM	#3
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,543 Karma: 19001583 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	I believe Sigil uses QRegExp at the moment.

05-20-2011, 04:37 AM	#4
bfollowell Fanatic Posts: 541 Karma: 1152752 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Evansville, IN, USA Device: Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Nook & Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5	Thanks for the info guys. I'll find a workaround like you mentioned huebi. When you say it isn't available in Sigil, do you mean the punct search or POSIX class searches in general? Jellby, thanks for the QRegExp reference. I'm sure it will come in handy. I really appreciate your guys' help. - Byron

05-21-2011, 06:16 AM	#7
cybmole Wizard Posts: 3,720 Karma: 1759970 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: none	NB sometimes it is correct for there not to be a space after a punctuation mark as in thre "hello!" example above, or as in "right," said Fred the "rule" may be that punctuation should be followed either by a space or by a quote mark, but initials may be another exception : J.B.Lenoir or J. B. Lenoir ?

05-21-2011, 10:55 AM	#8
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,543 Karma: 19001583 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	Or numbers: 3.1416 Or parentheses: (Like this.) ...

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