{} and StringRegExpReplace

[yton]

Greetings,

is there a non-ClipGet alternative for StringRegExpReplace?

I need to swap word1 with expression {word2|word3|word4}

AutoIt Help says: "To separate back-references from actual (replaced) numbers, wrap it with half-round brackets, i.e: "${1}5"."

so, i get an output with errors because of the above mentioned built-in functionality

any ideas?

thanks

[Melba23]

yton,

We need a bit more than that to offer any sensible advice.

Please give us at least one example of an original and a final string, together with what you have been using as code to run the RegEx .

M23

[yton]

While 1
        $msg = GUIGetMsg()
        Select
            Case $msg = $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE
                ExitLoop
            Case $msg = $Button1
                $title = GUICtrlRead($Input1, 1)
                $title = StringRegExpReplace($title, "word1", "{word2|word3|word4}")
                Run('Notepad.exe')
                Sleep(1000)
                Send($title)
        EndSelect
    WEnd
EndFunc

[zorphnog]

Again, as @Melba23 requested, we need more info. What is your input string? What do you want the returned string to be? It's hard to understand what exactly you are trying to do without a better explanation. As it is right now, it appears that you have the pattern and replacement values switched. Perhaps you meant:

$title = StringRegExpReplace($title, "{word2|word3|word4}", "word1")

[Melba23]

yton,

What are "word1" and "{word2|word3|word4}"? Are they literal strings?

Because if so the RegEx will only ever do anything if you have the literal string "word1" in $title.

Are you looking to replace the first word of $title with other words?

M23

[yton]

well, i have a form with $Input1

say, i put there (in $Input1) the sentence: "Word1 bla bla bla bla bla"

the required output sentence is "{Word2|Word3|Word4} bla bla bla bla bla", where

1) Word1, Word2, Word3 and Word4 are simple words like (e.g.) Big, Huge, Massive, Great

2) first word or not - it is not important. Word1 can be anywhere in the sentense

The thing is that i cannot get exact element "{Word2|Word3|Word4}" using StringRegExpReplace as AutoIt Help says the following about this function: "To separate back-references from actual (replaced) numbers, wrap it with half-round brackets, i.e: "${1}5"."

so, i get an output with errors because of the above mentioned built-in functionality

so, i need to leave StringRegExpReplace for other function that will provide exactly {Word2|Word3|Word4} with half-round brackets

Edited May 10, 2010 by yton

[Melba23]

yton,

Why did you think you needed "back-references"?

What you need is to escape the curly brackets so the RegEx recognises tham as part of the pattern:

$sString = "bla bla Word1 bla bla"

$sResult = StringRegExpReplace($sString, "(?i)(Word1)", "\{Word2|Word3|Word4\}")

MsgBox(0, "Result", $sResult)

M23

[yton]

thank you all )

the solution is simple as @#$%^^&

While 1         
$msg = GUIGetMsg()         
Select             
Case $msg = $GUI_EVENT_CLOSE                 
ExitLoop             
Case $msg = $Button1                 
$title = GUICtrlRead($Input1, 1)                 
$title = StringRegExpReplace($title, "word1", "{word2|word3|word4}")                 
Run('Notepad.exe')                 
Sleep(1000)                 
Send($title, 1) ; this is it! 
EndSelect     
WEnd 
EndFunc

Edited May 10, 2010 by yton

[GEOSoft]

Again, as @Melba23 requested, we need more info. What is your input string? What do you want the returned string to be? It's hard to understand what exactly you are trying to do without a better explanation. As it is right now, it appears that you have the pattern and replacement values switched. Perhaps you meant:

$title = StringRegExpReplace($title, "{word2|word3|word4}", "word1")

I know, old habits die hard.

Just an FYI, that RegEx example you posted will fail miserably with PCRE because of the curly braces and a lack of word boundary matching.

I think what you wanted was "\b(word2|word3|word4)\b"

\b is for word boundary to make sure it's only complete words and without that you could run into a problem like word2 actually being the word "and" where it would match

"wand", "band", "and", "land" & etc

[Melba23]

George,

When I grow up will I be able to understand SREs too?

M23

[GEOSoft]

That question begs 2 more questions:

• With all the available flavors of SRE, does anyone truly understand them all?
• Are you ever going to grow up?

EDIT: I think I gave you a link for testing SRE's. Try using it. It was updated today too.

Edited May 10, 2010 by GEOSoft

[Melba23]

George,

1. I hope not - who would want to live in that brain?

2. You must have guessed my motto: "Growing old is obligatory - growing up is entirely voluntary!"

M23

[GEOSoft]

George,

1. I hope not - who would want to live in that brain?

2. You must have guessed my motto: "Growing old is obligatory - growing up is entirely voluntary!"

M23

Great motto and I subscribe to that 100%. Now go back and read my edit, which was done to make your life easier.

[Melba23]

George,

How do you think I tested the one I suggested?

M23

[GEOSoft]

George,

How do you think I tested the one I suggested?

M23

Well I didn't test it but it must work then. Suggest the update though, there was a serious typo in the old one and I still don't know why it never threw an error.