Entry
TSE: File: Search/Replace: Regular expression: Does a regular expression search span multiple lines?
Aug 26th, 2005 16:18
Knud van Eeden,
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--- Knud van Eeden --- 19 December 2004 - 11:42 pm -------------------
TSE: File: Search/Replace: Regular expression: Does a regular
expression search span multiple lines?
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Yes, in some cases the TSE the regular expression
search or replace will span multiple lines.
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In other cases they will stop at e.g. the end of the
first line.
This because matches might include an empty string.
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Using e.g. the regular expression operators:
+ (1 or more times, minimum closure)
# (1 or more times, maximum closure)
* (0 or more times, minimum closure)
@ (0 or more times, maximum closure)
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e.g.
LFind( ".@", "glx" )
will only search in the current line of a highlighted block, and not in
multiple lines.
This because '@' also matches an empty string.
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Workaround:
1. Do not search with regular expressions,
but search without the 'x' option.
e.g.
LFind( "a", "" )
searches for the character 'a', even over multiple lines
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Note:
You can then e.g. store the x-y coordinates
of the begin and end position to mark
a block
2. Use the CurrChar() in combination with
the NextChar() or PrevChar()
commands, as these last 2 commands can traverse
to the next or previous line
3. Use another regular expression
(use e.g. the 'not' class [~...])
4. Other
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E.g. to skip spaces over several lines:
--- cut here: begin --------------------------------------------------
WHILE ( CurrChar() == Asc( " " ) OR ( CurrChar() == _AT_EOL_ ) OR (
CurrChar() == _BEYOND_EOL_ ) ) // skip spaces and go pass end of line
NextChar()
ENDWHILE
--- cut here: end ----------------------------------------------------
If you should use here a regular expression using the '@' operator,
it will only works on the current line, but not over multiple lines.
--- cut here: begin --------------------------------------------------
LFind( "[ ]@\c", "xl" ) // skip spaces in highlighted block
--- cut here: end ----------------------------------------------------
But there are other possible regular expressions that do work over
multiple lines. Here you use e.g. the while 'not' found a space,
continue to search:
--- cut here: begin --------------------------------------------------
LFind( "[~ ]", "x" ) // skip spaces in highlighted block, also over
multiple lines
// with thanks to Carlo Hogeveen
--- cut here: end ----------------------------------------------------
---
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Internet: see also:
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TSE: File: Search: How to search/replace over multiple lines?
[dehyphenation / regular expression]
http://www.faqts.com/knowledge_base/view.phtml/aid/36302/fid/865
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TSE: Search/Replace: Regular expression: Link: Can you give overview
links regular expressions?
http://www.faqts.com/knowledge_base/view.phtml/aid/31433/fid/865
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