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Regular Expression Replace Capture Groups

See more Regular Expressions Examples

Demonstrates replacing capture groups for a regular expression.

Note: Chilkat uses PCRE2. See PCRE2 Regular Expressions
Also see: PCRE2 Performance

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Local $bSuccess = False

Local $subject = "John Anders, +_+_+ Mary Robins $$$$"
Local $sPattern = "(?<first>\w+)\s+(?<last>\w+)"

$oSb = ObjCreate("Chilkat.StringBuilder")
$oSb.Append($subject)

$oJson = ObjCreate("Chilkat.JsonObject")
$oJson.EmitCompact = False

Local $iTimeoutMs = 2000
Local $iNumMatches = $oSb.RegexMatch($sPattern,$oJson,$iTimeoutMs)
If ($iNumMatches < 0) Then
    ; Probably an error in the regular expression.
    ; Suggestion: Use AI to help create and/or diagnose regular expressions.
    ConsoleWrite($oSb.LastErrorText & @CRLF)
    Exit
EndIf

; Examine the matches:
ConsoleWrite($oJson.Emit() & @CRLF)

; There are 2 matches:

; {
;   "named": {
;     "first": 1,
;     "last": 2
;   },
;   "match": [
;     {
;       "group": [
;         {
;           "cap": "John Anders",
;           "idx": 0,
;           "len": 11
;         },
;         {
;           "cap": "John",
;           "idx": 0,
;           "len": 4
;         },
;         {
;           "cap": "Anders",
;           "idx": 5,
;           "len": 6
;         }
;       ]
;     },
;     {
;       "group": [
;         {
;           "cap": "Mary Robins",
;           "idx": 19,
;           "len": 11
;         },
;         {
;           "cap": "Mary",
;           "idx": 19,
;           "len": 4
;         },
;         {
;           "cap": "Robins",
;           "idx": 24,
;           "len": 6
;         }
;       ]
;     }
;   ]
; }

; To replace capture groups, write code to examine each capture group within
; each match, and provide a replacement string.
; Then call RegexReplace.

; For example, let's capitalize the first names, and add append "on" to the last name.
; After doing replacements, we should get:  JOHN Anderson, +_+_+ MARY Robinson $$$$

Local $iFirstNameIdx = $oJson.IntOf("named.first")
Local $iLastNameIdx = $oJson.IntOf("named.last")

$oSbTemp = ObjCreate("Chilkat.StringBuilder")

Local $i = 0
$iNumMatches = $oJson.SizeOfArray("match")
While $i < $iNumMatches

    $oJson.I = $i

    ; The replacement string for the first name will be all uppercase.
    $oJson.J = $iFirstNameIdx
    $oSbTemp.Clear 
    $oJson.StringOfSb("match[i].group[j].cap",$oSbTemp)
    $oSbTemp.ToUppercase()
    $oJson.UpdateSb("match[i].group[j].rep",$oSbTemp)

    ; Append "on" to the last name.
    $oJson.J = $iLastNameIdx
    $oSbTemp.Clear 
    $oJson.StringOfSb("match[i].group[j].cap",$oSbTemp)
    $oSbTemp.Append("on")
    $oJson.UpdateSb("match[i].group[j].rep",$oSbTemp)

    $i = $i + 1
Wend

; The JSON now has replacement strings:
ConsoleWrite($oJson.Emit() & @CRLF)

; {
;   "named": {
;     "first": 1,
;     "last": 2
;   },
;   "match": [
;     {
;       "group": [
;         {
;           "cap": "John Anders",
;           "idx": 0,
;           "len": 11
;         },
;         {
;           "cap": "John",
;           "idx": 0,
;           "len": 4,
;           "rep": "JOHN"
;         },
;         {
;           "cap": "Anders",
;           "idx": 5,
;           "len": 6,
;           "rep": "Anderson"
;         }
;       ]
;     },
;     {
;       "group": [
;         {
;           "cap": "Mary Robins",
;           "idx": 19,
;           "len": 11
;         },
;         {
;           "cap": "Mary",
;           "idx": 19,
;           "len": 4,
;           "rep": "MARY"
;         },
;         {
;           "cap": "Robins",
;           "idx": 24,
;           "len": 6,
;           "rep": "Robinson"
;         }
;       ]
;     }
;   ]
; }

; Call RegexReplace to update the StringBuilder with the replacements.
$bSuccess = $oSb.RegexReplace($oJson)
If ($bSuccess = False) Then
    ConsoleWrite($oSb.LastErrorText & @CRLF)
    Exit
EndIf

ConsoleWrite("Result after doing replacements:" & @CRLF)
ConsoleWrite($oSb.GetAsString() & @CRLF)

; Result after doing replacements:
; JOHN Anderson, +_+_+ MARY Robinson $$$$