How to match across multiple lines using regex?

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Eliot Kimber

11 Jan 2014 11 Jan '14

7:17 p.m.

I’m trying to a regular expression search and replace for things like this: doc: text text next line next line</a:documentation> What I can’t figure out is how to do this multi-line regular expression match. If use “dot matches all” then my match is not limited to just what’s shown but everything between the first doc: and the last </a:documentation>. If do e.g. “doc:(.)</a:documentation>” then it matches cases where it all happens to be on one line. Is this possible? What bit of regex fu am I missing? Thanks, E. -- Eliot Kimber Senior Solutions Architect "Bringing Strategy, Content, and Technology Together" Main: 512.554.9368 www.reallysi.com www.rsuitecms.com

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G. Ken Holman

11 Jan 11 Jan

9:08 p.m.

New subject: How to match across multiple lines using regex?

At 2014-01-11 13:17 -0600, Eliot Kimber wrote:

...

Content-Language: en-US Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-7"

I+IBk-m trying to a regular expression search and replace for things like this:

doc: text text next line next line+ADw-/a:documentation+AD4-

What I can+IBk-t figure out is how to do this multi-line regular expression match. If use +IBw-dot matches all+IB0- then my match is not limited to just what+IBk-s shown but everything between the first doc: and the last +ADw-/a:documentation+AD4-.

If do e.g. +IBw-doc:(.)+ADw-/a:documentation+AD4gHQ- then it matches cases where it all happens to be on one line.

Is this possible? What bit of regex fu am I missing?

I think it is the use of "\n". Try this to include all of the lines: doc:((.|\n)*?):documentation (note that I'm guessing what your boundaries are because of a mailer problem) I hope this helps. . . . . . . . . Ken -- Public XSLT, XSL-FO, UBL & code list classes: Melbourne, AU May 2014 | Contact us for world-wide XML consulting and instructor-led training | Free 5-hour lecture: http://www.CraneSoftwrights.com/links/udemy.htm | Crane Softwrights Ltd. http://www.CraneSoftwrights.com/x/ | G. Ken Holman mailto:gkholman@CraneSoftwrights.com | Google+ profile: http://plus.google.com/+GKenHolman-Crane/about | Legal business disclaimers: http://www.CraneSoftwrights.com/legal |

Eliot Kimber

9:24 p.m.

New subject: How to match across multiple lines using regex?

That works. But here’s another question: why is the outer group with the ? operator required? I tried just (.|\n)*, which should match anything between my start and end strings, but it does not, where ((.|\n)*?) does. Thanks, E. -- Eliot Kimber Senior Solutions Architect "Bringing Strategy, Content, and Technology Together" Main: 512.554.9368 www.reallysi.com www.rsuitecms.com On 1/11/14, 3:08 PM, "G. Ken Holman" <gkholman@CraneSoftwrights.com> wrote:

...

At 2014-01-11 13:17 -0600, Eliot Kimber wrote:

...
Content-Language: en-US Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-7"

Im trying to a regular expression search and replace for things like this:

doc: text text next line next line/a:documentation

What I cant figure out is how to do this multi-line regular expression match. If use dot matches all then my match is not limited to just whats shown but everything between the first doc: and the last /a:documentation.

If do e.g. doc:(.)/a:documentation then it matches cases where it all happens to be on one line.

Is this possible? What bit of regex fu am I missing?

I think it is the use of "\n".

Try this to include all of the lines: doc:((.|\n)*?):documentation

(note that I'm guessing what your boundaries are because of a mailer problem)

I hope this helps.

. . . . . . . . Ken

-- Public XSLT, XSL-FO, UBL & code list classes: Melbourne, AU May 2014 | Contact us for world-wide XML consulting and instructor-led training | Free 5-hour lecture: http://www.CraneSoftwrights.com/links/udemy.htm | Crane Softwrights Ltd. http://www.CraneSoftwrights.com/x/ | G. Ken Holman mailto:gkholman@CraneSoftwrights.com | Google profile: http://plus.google.com/麜稥馩Crane/about | Legal business disclaimers: http://www.CraneSoftwrights.com/legal |

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Oxygen XML Editor Support

15 Jan 15 Jan

2:24 p.m.

New subject: How to match across multiple lines using regex?

Hi Eliot, The ? operator makes it a lazy match (first best match) instead of a greedy match (longest possible match). Without the ? operator the expression is greedy and will match a lot more content than expected. You can use either (.|\n)*? or .*? with "dot matches all", but in either case the ? operator is the one that limits the search to the first best match. Regards, Adrian Adrian Buza oXygen XML Editor and Author Support Tel: +1-650-352-1250 ext.202 Fax: +40-251-461482 support@oxygenxml.com http://www.oxygenxml.com On 11.01.2014 23:24, Eliot Kimber wrote:

...

That works. But here's another question: why is the outer group with the ? operator required? I tried just (.|\n)*, which should match anything between my start and end strings, but it does not, where ((.|\n)*?) does.

Thanks,

E.

_______________________________________________ oXygen-user mailing list oXygen-user@oxygenxml.com http://www.oxygenxml.com/mailman/listinfo/oxygen-user

Eliot Kimber

3:59 p.m.

New subject: How to match across multiple lines using regex?

Thanks, that clarifies things. I did look in the online help but didn’t find any specific guidance on regular expressions beyond “Oxygen uses Perl regular expressions”. I think at least a brief topic on regular expression syntax would be helpful, with a pointer to more information elsewhere. Cheers, E. -- Eliot Kimber Senior Solutions Architect "Bringing Strategy, Content, and Technology Together" Main: 512.554.9368 www.reallysi.com www.rsuitecms.com On 1/15/14, 8:24 AM, "Oxygen XML Editor Support" <support@oxygenxml.com> wrote:

...

Hi Eliot,

The ? operator makes it a lazy match (first best match) instead of a greedy match (longest possible match). Without the ? operator the expression is greedy and will match a lot more content than expected.

You can use either (.|\n)*? or .*? with "dot matches all", but in either case the ? operator is the one that limits the search to the first best match.

Regards, Adrian

Adrian Buza oXygen XML Editor and Author Support

Tel: +1-650-352-1250 ext.202 Fax: +40-251-461482 support@oxygenxml.comhttp://www.oxygenxml.com

On 11.01.2014 23:24, Eliot Kimber wrote:

That works. But here’s another question: why is the outer group with the ? operator required? I tried just (.|\n)*, which should match anything between my start and end strings, but it does not, where ((.|\n)*?) does.

Thanks,

E.

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Oxygen XML Editor Support

17 Jan 17 Jan

3:05 p.m.

New subject: How to match across multiple lines using regex?

Hi, Starting with v15.2 we'll include in the Oxygen user manual a link to the Perl 5 regular expression documentation: http://perldoc.perl.org/perlre.html#Regular-Expressions However, there are probably some more useful Java regex tutorials out there: http://www.vogella.com/tutorials/JavaRegularExpressions/article.html Regards, Adrian Adrian Buza oXygen XML Editor and Author Support Tel: +1-650-352-1250 ext.202 Fax: +40-251-461482 support@oxygenxml.com http://www.oxygenxml.com On 15.01.2014 17:59, Eliot Kimber wrote:

...

Thanks, that clarifies things.

I did look in the online help but didn’t find any specific guidance on regular expressions beyond “Oxygen uses Perl regular expressions”. I think at least a brief topic on regular expression syntax would be helpful, with a pointer to more information elsewhere.

Cheers,

E.

Wendell Piez

11 Jan 11 Jan

9:31 p.m.

Hi, I think Ken misread the problem but solved it anyway. Shouldn't the "dot matches all" take care of the line breaks, while the ? (correctly placed) in the expression prevents it from being too greedy? So, something like "doc:.+?</a:documentation>" ? Cheers, Wendell Wendell Piez | http://www.wendellpiez.com XML | XSLT | electronic publishing Eat Your Vegetables _____oo_________o_o___ooooo____ooooooo_^ On Sat, Jan 11, 2014 at 4:08 PM, G. Ken Holman <gkholman@cranesoftwrights.com> wrote:

...

At 2014-01-11 13:17 -0600, Eliot Kimber wrote:

...
Content-Language: en-US Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-7"

I+IBk-m trying to a regular expression search and replace for things like this:

doc: text text next line next line+ADw-/a:documentation+AD4-

What I can+IBk-t figure out is how to do this multi-line regular expression match. If use +IBw-dot matches all+IB0- then my match is not limited to just what+IBk-s shown but everything between the first doc: and the last +ADw-/a:documentation+AD4-.

If do e.g. +IBw-doc:(.)+ADw-/a:documentation+AD4gHQ- then it matches cases where it all happens to be on one line.

Is this possible? What bit of regex fu am I missing?

I think it is the use of "\n".

Try this to include all of the lines: doc:((.|\n)*?):documentation

(note that I'm guessing what your boundaries are because of a mailer problem)

I hope this helps.

. . . . . . . . Ken

-- Public XSLT, XSL-FO, UBL & code list classes: Melbourne, AU May 2014 | Contact us for world-wide XML consulting and instructor-led training | Free 5-hour lecture: http://www.CraneSoftwrights.com/links/udemy.htm | Crane Softwrights Ltd. http://www.CraneSoftwrights.com/x/ | G. Ken Holman mailto:gkholman@CraneSoftwrights.com | Google+ profile: http://plus.google.com/+GKenHolman-Crane/about | Legal business disclaimers: http://www.CraneSoftwrights.com/legal |

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Eliot Kimber
G. Ken Holman
Oxygen XML Editor Support
Wendell Piez