Replacing //.+// with .+

The_Goblin · 08-04-2019, 07:26 PM

So in an ebook I'm converting from html, I need to replace all the text between "//" with the same text, but italics tags in place of the slashes.

I've spent a few hours mashing my face into learning regex and I can't figure out what seems like a simple task. I even tried in Word, and couldn't manage it there either. Can anyone help?

For Example:

// How is this possible? // I wondered to myself. // I simply can't see how to do it. //

Needs to become:

How is this possible? I wondered to myself. I simply can't see how to do it.

Or

It's all over my head. // This is why I got a C in compsci. // I hope someone can help me.

Needs to become:

It's all over my head. This is why I got a C in compsci. I hope someone can help me.

davidfor · 08-04-2019, 08:02 PM

Try:

Code:

\/\/\s(.*?)\s\/\/

The slashes need to be escaped, hence "\/". Then a space, "\s" and "(.*?)" is capture any text but not the space before the closing doubleslashes.

With the replacement:

Code:

<i>\1</i>

Note, for the search, I would probably use:

Code:

\/\/\s*(.*?)\s*\/\/

That covers any amount of whitespace around the text. With either, you need to be careful in case there missing doubleslashes.

phossler · 08-04-2019, 09:04 PM

Quote:

//\s*(.*?)\s*\/\/

To be nit picky, I assume you meant to escape the leading //

Code:

\/\/\s*(.*?)\s*\/\/

The_Goblin · 08-04-2019, 09:39 PM

Code:

\/\/\s*(.*?)\s*\/\/

worked perfectly as the "Find" and

Code:

 <i>\1</i>

worked perfectly as the "Replace".

Thank you both so much!

davidfor · 08-04-2019, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phossler

To be nit picky, I assume you meant to escape the leading //

Code:

\/\/\s*(.*?)\s*\/\/

Yep. Testing and cut-and-paste error. Fixed in the post.

The_Goblin · 08-05-2019, 12:09 AM

Looks like I spoke too soon, none of the expressions caught all of the //. However, I did figure a solution, so if you need something similar and the prior answers don't work quite right, try this:

Code:

//\s*(.*?)\s*\/\D

(with "dot all" checked) It did not make a difference if the first two // were escaped.

It wasn't flawless, it would catch:

Code:

//Me? You can't be me. <i class="calibre4">I'm</i> me.//

Here's an example of what the other solutions selected, in red:

Code:

// Could
    it be? // he asked himself, // could it possibly be after so,
    so very long? //

Code:

(all text until prior //) He projected as strongly as he could. // Center,  C'mon. You can do this. You CAN. //

08-04-2019, 07:26 PM	#1
The_Goblin Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2019 Device: none	Replacing //.+// with <i>.+</i> So in an ebook I'm converting from html, I need to replace all the text between "//" with the same text, but italics tags in place of the slashes. I've spent a few hours mashing my face into learning regex and I can't figure out what seems like a simple task. I even tried in Word, and couldn't manage it there either. Can anyone help? For Example: // How is this possible? // I wondered to myself. // I simply can't see how to do it. // Needs to become: <i>How is this possible?</i> I wondered to myself. <i>I simply can't see how to do it.</i> Or It's all over my head. // This is why I got a C in compsci. // I hope someone can help me. Needs to become: It's all over my head. <i>This is why I got a C in compsci.</i> I hope someone can help me.

08-04-2019, 08:02 PM	#2
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,905 Karma: 47303824 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	Try: Code: \/\/\s(.?)\s\/\/ The slashes need to be escaped, hence "\/". Then a space, "\s" and "(.?)" is capture any text but not the space before the closing doubleslashes. With the replacement: Code: <i>\1</i> Note, for the search, I would probably use: Code: \/\/\s(.?)\s\/\/ That covers any amount of whitespace around the text. With either, you need to be careful in case there missing doubleslashes. Last edited by davidfor; 08-04-2019 at 10:04 PM. Reason: Fixing second example.*

08-04-2019, 09:39 PM	#4
The_Goblin Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2019 Device: none	Ty :D Code: \/\/\s(.?)\s*\/\/ worked perfectly as the "Find" and Code: <i>\1</i> worked perfectly as the "Replace". Thank you both so much!

08-05-2019, 12:09 AM	#6
The_Goblin Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2019 Device: none	A Little Tweak Looks like I spoke too soon, none of the expressions caught all of the //. However, I did figure a solution, so if you need something similar and the prior answers don't work quite right, try this: Code: //\s(.?)\s\/\D (with "dot all" checked*) It did not make a difference if the first two // were escaped. It wasn't flawless, it would catch: Code: //Me? You can't be me. <i class="calibre4">I'm</i> me.// Here's an example of what the other solutions selected, in red: Code: // Could it be? // he asked himself, // could it possibly be after so, so very long? // Code: (all text until prior //) He projected as strongly as he could. // Center, C'mon. You can do this. You CAN. //

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