[SOLVED] Using StringRegExpReplace() to Return Path minus Extension

[guinness]

I am using the wonderful to get my head around learning what I and probably most find very difficult. I realise I could use _PathSplit(), but my goal is to improve my coding style/technique SRE's and such-like.

The code use a Full Path e.g. C:\Program Files\Another Dir\AutoIt3\AutoIt3.chm & Returns C:\Program Files\Another Dir\AutoIt3\AutoIt3 minus the .chm.

The code works, but was curious if there are more ways to achieve this with manipulating the SRE Syntax. Thanks in advance.

Code:

Global $sFile = "C:\Program Files\Another Dir\AutoIt3\AutoIt3.chm"
MsgBox(0, "C:\Program Files\Another Dir\AutoIt3\AutoIt3", StringRegExpReplace($sFile, "(^.*\\)^.*\\|\..*$", "\1")) ; Learning SRE's
Exit

Edited April 28, 2011 by guinness

[jchd]

A bit simpler, still with replace but working the other way round:

Global $sFile = "C:\Program Files\Another Dir\Auto.It.3\AutoIt3.chm.old.bak"
MsgBox(0, "Path part", $sFile & @LF & StringRegExpReplace($sFile, "[\.\\]?[^\.\\]*{:content:}quot;, "")) ; Learning SRE's

Note that this version doesn't choke on paths having dot(s) in folders, nor on filesnames without extension.

EDIT: plain wrong! See fixed post below.

Edited April 28, 2011 by jchd

[UEZ]

Here my version:

Global $sFile = "C:\Program Files\Another Dir\Auto.It.3\AutoIt3.chm.old.bak"
MsgBox(0, "C:\Program Files\Another Dir\AutoIt3\AutoIt3", StringRegExpReplace($sFile, "(.*)(\\.*)(\..*)$", "\1\2"))

Br,

UEZ

Edited April 28, 2011 by UEZ

[jchd]

@UEZ

Sorry this doesn't work if both of the conditions I mentionned are present: folders having dots and filename witout extension.

[UEZ]

@jchd: yep, that's right. I update the code. Should be fine now for files with extentions only!

Btw, I'm a regex rookie, too.

Br,

UEZ

[jchd]

Take it easy, we're all rookies when it come to regexps, one day or the other. I'll never trust anyone with good regexp experience pretending never having spent a couple of hours or more on a "seemingly trivial" regexp failing in overlooked corner cases.

[Tsukihime]

On the topic of filenames and regex, how can I retrieve just the filename with the extension?

I've written several patterns but none of them could handle filenames with spaces

[jchd]

@UEZ, guinness

Here's the perfect example of seemingly trivial pitfall: my previous pattern is wrong

This one is correct (until proven otherwise):

$PathAndFileNameWithoutExtension = StringRegExpReplace($fn, '\.[^\.\\/]*$', '')

Paths can have direct slashes or backslashes and I cut&pasted the wrong pattern.

@Tsukihime

Try this

$FileNameWithoutPath = StringRegExpReplace($fn, '([^\\/:]*) , '\1')

@all

Disclaimer: none of the pattern seen so far can deal with legacy device names (LPT1:, CON: et al) but you're not going to encounter them in regular filelists.

EDIT: geez forgot tags and all my pretty patterns were turned into smiles...

Edited April 28, 2011 by jchd

[UEZ]

@jchd:

Br,

UEZ

Edited April 28, 2011 by UEZ

[wakillon]

$FileNameWithoutPath = StringRegExpReplace($fn, '([^\\/:]*) , '\1')

This example doesn't seems to work...

[jchd]

No; its lacks $' at the end of the pattern. As I said, I initially wrote this on the fly without code tags, but some combinations of chars get turned into smilleys. I fixed that earlier.

[guinness]

What happened? When I left this thread it had 0 Views and no posts! Thanks ever so much to jchd and UEZ for both code Examples, I have saved to my Function Folder for future use. I appreciate the Help & am somewhat embarrassed I asked for help. Thanks once again.

[Malkey]

These appear to work.

Global $sFile = "C:\Program Files\Another Dir\Auto.It.3\AutoIt3.chm.old.bak"

MsgBox(0, "Path part - 1 of 3", $sFile & @LF & StringRegExpReplace($sFile, "(?>\.)[^\.]*$", ""))
MsgBox(0, "Path part - 2 of 3", $sFile & @LF & StringRegExpReplace($sFile, "\.++[^\.]*$", ""))
MsgBox(0, "Path part - 3 of 3", $sFile & @LF & StringRegExpReplace($sFile, "(.*)(\..*)", "\1"))

[GEOSoft]

We know that you would have put some effort in before asking so never be embarrassed when you have ask for help. In particular when it involves a RegEx. You've read it many times that they are pretty well the hardest thing there is to learn in any language.

[guinness]

Thanks Malkey! Seems there are plenty of Examples to use now.

And thanks GEOSoft for those kind words, I just felt that posting a question that I had already found would be considered inconsiderate to those who need help with AutoIt. But you're right, I should stop saying 'Sorry'

[jchd]

@Malkey,

Your 3 patterns all fail on paths like '.\abc.xyz\..\a'

Yet another example of my stance about "triviality". That it bites you or me or whomever else is irrelevant.

@guinness

One more for your library:

Global $aFiles[7] = [ _
    "C:\Program Files\Another Dir\Auto.It.3\AutoIt3.chm.old.bak", _
    "..\abc.xyz\def.ext", _
    "abc", _
    "a b c      .fol/de     .fil ", _
    ".\abc.xyz\..\a", _
    ".\abc.xyz\../a", _
    "./file without extension" _
]
Local $ret
For $sFile In $aFiles
    $ret = StringRegExp($sFile, '(.*?)(?=\.[^\.\\/]+$|$)', 1)  ; non-replace, look ahead version
    MsgBox(0, "Path part", $sFile & @LF & $ret[0])
Next

Edited April 29, 2011 by jchd

[guinness]

Cheers jhcd I just learnt 2 things from your last post. The For...In and more SRE's If I could offer anything you didn't know then I would But I believe you have an extensive background in coding

[jchd]

Oops, sorry for damaged tag, corrected. Hi guinness, there are indeed way too many things/languages I don't know enough or at all!