PHP ActiveX Requires Chilkat v11.1.0+

Regular Expression with Multiple Matches and Named Capture Groups

See more Regular Expressions Examples

Demonstrates regular expressions with named capture groups and multiple matches. PHP ActiveX

<?php

$success = 0;

$sb = new COM("Chilkat.StringBuilder");
$crlf = 1;
$sb->AppendLine('Name: John Smith',$crlf);
$sb->AppendLine('Name: Jack Johnson',$crlf);
$sb->AppendLine('Name: Mary Adams',$crlf);

print $sb->getAsString() . "\n";

//  We have the following string:
//  Name: John Smith
//  Name: Jack Johnson
//  Name: Mary Adams

$pattern = 'Name:\\s+(?<first>\\w+)\\s+(?<last>\\w+)';
$json = new COM("Chilkat.JsonObject");
$json->EmitCompact = 0;

$timeoutMs = 2000;
$numMatches = $sb->RegexMatch($pattern,$json,$timeoutMs);
if ($numMatches < 0) {
    //  Probably an error in the regular expression.
    //  Suggestion: Use AI to help create and/or diagnose regular expressions.
    print $sb->LastErrorText . "\n";
    exit;
}

//  Examine the matches:
print $json->emit() . "\n";

//  Here is the JSON showing the matches.
//  Important:  Capture group 0 always contains the entire match — that is, the portion of the input string that matches the full regular expression.

//  {
//    "named": {
//      "first": 1,
//      "last": 2
//    },
//    "match": [
//      {
//        "group": [
//          {
//            "cap": "Name: John Smith",
//            "idx": 0,
//            "len": 16
//          },
//          {
//            "cap": "John",
//            "idx": 6,
//            "len": 4
//          },
//          {
//            "cap": "Smith",
//            "idx": 11,
//            "len": 5
//          }
//        ]
//      },
//      {
//        "group": [
//          {
//            "cap": "Name: Jack Johnson",
//            "idx": 18,
//            "len": 18
//          },
//          {
//            "cap": "Jack",
//            "idx": 24,
//            "len": 4
//          },
//          {
//            "cap": "Johnson",
//            "idx": 29,
//            "len": 7
//          }
//        ]
//      },
//      {
//        "group": [
//          {
//            "cap": "Name: Mary Adams",
//            "idx": 38,
//            "len": 16
//          },
//          {
//            "cap": "Mary",
//            "idx": 44,
//            "len": 4
//          },
//          {
//            "cap": "Adams",
//            "idx": 49,
//            "len": 5
//          }
//        ]
//      }
//    ]
//  }

//  The capture group index is obtained by looking up the name in the JSON result.
//  For example:

$idx_first = $json->IntOf('named.first');
$idx_last = $json->IntOf('named.last');

$i = 0;
$matchCount = $json->SizeOfArray('match');
while ($i < $matchCount) {
    print 'Match ' . ($i + 1) . ':' . "\n";
    $json->I = $i;

    $json->J = $idx_first;
    print 'first: ' . $json->stringOf('match[i].group[j].cap') . "\n";

    $json->J = $idx_last;
    print 'first: ' . $json->stringOf('match[i].group[j].cap') . "\n";

    print '' . "\n";
    $i = $i + 1;
}

//  Output is: 

//  Match 1:
//  first: John
//  first: Smith
//  
//  Match 2:
//  first: Jack
//  first: Johnson
//  
//  Match 3:
//  first: Mary
//  first: Adams

?>