Can you match a NON-character...?

ElMiko · 03-25-2013, 02:03 PM

I'm trying to correct, in bulk, omissions of apostrophes, such as: Im, cant, wont, couldnt.

Is there a way to match the non-space between "t" and the penultimate letter so i can simple insert an apostrophe as a replace value?

basically, i'm looking for the functional equivalent of:

Code:

(?<=\bI)[non-space, non-character](?=m\b)

theducks · 03-25-2013, 02:16 PM

not a REGEX solution

Have you tried the Spellcheck feature.

when you select a word in the list, then correct it for all occurrences

ElMiko · 03-25-2013, 04:11 PM

DAAAAANG....

I figured as much, but I hoped one of the gurus would have a silver bullet where all my plain-vanilla lead bullets had failed.

Spellcheck doesn't catch several of the most common instances since they are, technically, words: Id, wont, cant. Well, if apostrophe strikes—sorry, i mean, epiphany—let me know...

meme · 03-25-2013, 04:28 PM

I'm sure there is a regex for what you want...theducks was just pointing out a non-regex approach.

The Spellcheck window can also list every word in your book, not just the misspelled ones. But even though you could filter on "t" there would probably still be a lot of words to look through. Even a regex would give you a lot of words to check as well if you're just looking for words ending in t.

theducks · 03-25-2013, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElMiko

DAAAAANG....

I figured as much, but I hoped one of the gurus would have a silver bullet where all my plain-vanilla lead bullets had failed.

Spellcheck doesn't catch several of the most common instances since they are, technically, words: Id, wont, cant. Well, if apostrophe strikes—sorry, i mean, epiphany—let me know...

wan't

the horrors of blind S&R

The spell check approach means you just check a few known words that might need the apostrophe

(you sill need to fix those other spelling errors

)

DiapDealer · 03-25-2013, 05:37 PM

I'm not certain I'm entirely following. In your pseudo-regex:

Code:

(?<=\bI)[non-space, non-character](?=m\b)

You seem to want to match the position in between Im (with word boundaries on either side) so you can replace that captured "position" with an apostrophe. But if you're basically going to run a search for "Im"... then why not just replace all instances of \bIm\b with "I'm". Or \b((?i)c)(?-i)ant\b with "\1an't" ? Shouldn't take too long to go through most of the common contractions.

ElMiko · 03-25-2013, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I'm not certain I'm entirely following. In your pseudo-regex:

Code:

(?<=\bI)[non-space, non-character](?=m\b)

You seem to want to match the position in between Im (with word boundaries on either side) so you can replace that captured "position" with an apostrophe. But if you're basically going to run a search for "Im"... then why not just replace all instances of \bIm\b with "I'm". Or \b((?i)c)(?-i)ant\b with "\1an't" ? Shouldn't take too long to go through most of the common contractions.

... because there are actually lots of contractions. And typing each search out and a unique replace value would take a longer than doing what i'm trying to do. Obviously, it can be done the way you are suggesting—it's the way I've done it in the past... it hardly even counts as "RegEx".

DiapDealer · 03-25-2013, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElMiko

... because there are actually lots of contractions. And typing each search out and a unique replace value would take a longer than doing what i'm trying to do. Obviously, it can be done the way you are suggesting—it's the way I've done it in the past... it hardly even counts as "RegEx".

My bad. I assumed from your example ("Im") that you were typing a similar search for each contraction.

Tex2002ans · 03-25-2013, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElMiko

Obviously, it can be done the way you are suggesting—it's the way I've done it in the past... it hardly even counts as "RegEx".

There has to be a list of contractions somewhere.

You do the work once, create lots of Sigil Saved Searches replacing all of the unapostrophed with the apostrophe versions, and then spread your Saved Search file to everyone else, so we won't have to do it.

Jellby · 03-26-2013, 04:26 AM

Hmm... Would using the {0} multiplier work? Something like:

Code:

(?<=\bI)'{0}(?=m\b)

Maybe you could just use * instead of {0}. It would match one or more instances of the apostrophe, but it doesn't matter if it replaces an apostrophe by itself... and you surely don't want more than one apostrophe anyway

Turtle91 · 03-26-2013, 10:18 PM

The list of normal contractions is relatively small (sorry the forum doesn't like tables but you can find it here):

aren't are not
can't cannot
couldn't could not
didn't did not
doesn't does not
don't do not
hadn't had not
hasn't has not
haven't have not
he'd he had; he would
he'll he will; he shall
he's he is; he has
I'd I had; I would
I'll I will; I shall
I'm I am
I've I have
isn't is not
let's let us
mightn't might not
mustn't must not
shan't shall not
she'd she had; she would
she'll she will; she shall
she's she is; she has
shouldn't should not
that's that is; that has
there's there is; there has
they'd they had; they would
they'll they will; they shall
they're they are
they've they have
we'd we had; we would
we're we are
we've we have
weren't were not
what'll what will; what shall
what're what are
what's what is; what has
what've what have
where's where is; where has
who'd who had; who would
who'll who will; who shall
who're who are
who's who is; who has
who've who have
won't will not
wouldn't would not
you'd you had; you would
you'll you will; you shall
you're you are
you've you have

There are multiple duplications that allow a handful of regex's to cover the list. I actually had a saved search group that did this - it was only a half-dozen or so steps. Unfortunately, I lost the group when my hard drive was replaced and haven't recreated it yet.

03-25-2013, 02:03 PM	#1
ElMiko Addict Posts: 383 Karma: 65460 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: Kindle	Can you match a NON-character...? I'm trying to correct, in bulk, omissions of apostrophes, such as: Im, cant, wont, couldnt. Is there a way to match the non-space between "t" and the penultimate letter so i can simple insert an apostrophe as a replace value? basically, i'm looking for the functional equivalent of: Code: (?<=\bI)[non-space, non-character](?=m\b)

03-25-2013, 05:37 PM	#6
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,357 Karma: 203720150 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I'm not certain I'm entirely following. In your pseudo-regex: Code: (?<=\bI)[non-space, non-character](?=m\b) You seem to want to match the position in between Im (with word boundaries on either side) so you can replace that captured "position" with an apostrophe. But if you're basically going to run a search for "Im"... then why not just replace all instances of \bIm\b with "I'm". Or \b((?i)c)(?-i)ant\b with "\1an't" ? Shouldn't take too long to go through most of the common contractions.

03-26-2013, 04:26 AM	#10
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,543 Karma: 19001583 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	Hmm... Would using the {0} multiplier work? Something like: Code: (?<=\bI)'{0}(?=m\b) Maybe you could just use * instead of {0}. It would match one or more instances of the apostrophe, but it doesn't matter if it replaces an apostrophe by itself... and you surely don't want more than one apostrophe anyway

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Does Kobo Price Match?	Big McLargeHuge	Kobo Reader	5	11-14-2012 11:28 PM
Can't match Unicode character	atordo	Recipes	2	06-15-2012 03:20 PM
how to have regex dot match any character including newline?	gnychis	Calibre	5	11-30-2010 06:35 PM
SonyStyle Price Match	Zen-Diego	Sony Reader	3	05-06-2009 03:07 PM

03-25-2013, 02:16 PM	#2
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 30,903 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	not a REGEX solution Have you tried the Spellcheck feature. when you select a word in the list, then correct it for all occurrences

03-25-2013, 04:11 PM	#3
ElMiko Addict Posts: 383 Karma: 65460 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: Kindle	DAAAAANG.... I figured as much, but I hoped one of the gurus would have a silver bullet where all my plain-vanilla lead bullets had failed. Spellcheck doesn't catch several of the most common instances since they are, technically, words: Id, wont, cant. Well, if apostrophe strikes—sorry, i mean, epiphany—let me know...

03-25-2013, 04:28 PM	#4
meme Sigil developer Posts: 1,274 Karma: 1101600 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: UK Device: Kindle PW, K4 NT, K3, Kobo Touch	I'm sure there is a regex for what you want...theducks was just pointing out a non-regex approach. The Spellcheck window can also list every word in your book, not just the misspelled ones. But even though you could filter on "t" there would probably still be a lot of words to look through. Even a regex would give you a lot of words to check as well if you're just looking for words ending in t.

03-26-2013, 10:18 PM	#11
Turtle91 A Hairy Wizard Posts: 3,312 Karma: 20171571 Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Charleston, SC today Device: iPhone 15/11/X/6/iPad 1,2,Air & Air Pro/Surface Pro/Kindle PW & Fire	The list of normal contractions is relatively small (sorry the forum doesn't like tables but you can find it here): aren't are not can't cannot couldn't could not didn't did not doesn't does not don't do not hadn't had not hasn't has not haven't have not he'd he had; he would he'll he will; he shall he's he is; he has I'd I had; I would I'll I will; I shall I'm I am I've I have isn't is not let's let us mightn't might not mustn't must not shan't shall not she'd she had; she would she'll she will; she shall she's she is; she has shouldn't should not that's that is; that has there's there is; there has they'd they had; they would they'll they will; they shall they're they are they've they have we'd we had; we would we're we are we've we have weren't were not what'll what will; what shall what're what are what's what is; what has what've what have where's where is; where has who'd who had; who would who'll who will; who shall who're who are who's who is; who has who've who have won't will not wouldn't would not you'd you had; you would you'll you will; you shall you're you are you've you have There are multiple duplications that allow a handful of regex's to cover the list. I actually had a saved search group that did this - it was only a half-dozen or so steps. Unfortunately, I lost the group when my hard drive was replaced and haven't recreated it yet.

Advert

Advert