VB.NET Requires Chilkat v11.1.0+

Regular Expression Replace Full Matches

See more Regular Expressions Examples

Demonstrates replacing the full matches of a regular expression.

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

VB.NET

Dim success As Boolean = False

Dim subject As String = "John Anders, +_+_+ Mary Robins $$$$"
Dim pattern As String = "\w+\s+\w+"

Dim sb As New Chilkat.StringBuilder
sb.Append(subject)

Dim json As New Chilkat.JsonObject
json.EmitCompact = False

Dim timeoutMs As Integer = 2000
Dim numMatches As Integer = sb.RegexMatch(pattern,json,timeoutMs)
If (numMatches < 0) Then
    '  Probably an error in the regular expression.
    '  Suggestion: Use AI to help create and/or diagnose regular expressions.
    Debug.WriteLine(sb.LastErrorText)
    Exit Sub
End If


'  Examine the matches:
Debug.WriteLine(json.Emit())

'  {
'    "match": [
'      {
'        "group": [
'          {
'            "cap": "John Anders",
'            "idx": 0,
'            "len": 11
'          }
'        ]
'      },
'      {
'        "group": [
'          {
'            "cap": "Mary Robins",
'            "idx": 19,
'            "len": 11
'          }
'        ]
'      }
'    ]
'  }

Dim sbTemp As New Chilkat.StringBuilder

Dim i As Integer = 0
numMatches = json.SizeOfArray("match")
While i < numMatches

    json.I = i

    '  The full match is always in group 0.
    sbTemp.Clear()
    json.StringOfSb("match[i].group[0].cap",sbTemp)

    '  Indicate that we wish to replace the full match with it's value converted to uppercase.
    sbTemp.ToUppercase()
    json.UpdateSb("match[i].group[0].rep",sbTemp)

    i = i + 1
End While

'  The JSON now has replacement strings:
Debug.WriteLine(json.Emit())

'  {
'    "match": [
'      {
'        "group": [
'          {
'            "cap": "John Anders",
'            "idx": 0,
'            "len": 11,
'            "rep": "JOHN ANDERS"
'          }
'        ]
'      },
'      {
'        "group": [
'          {
'            "cap": "Mary Robins",
'            "idx": 19,
'            "len": 11,
'            "rep": "MARY ROBINS"
'          }
'        ]
'      }
'    ]
'  }

'  Call RegexReplace to update the StringBuilder with the replacements.
success = sb.RegexReplace(json)
If (success = False) Then
    Debug.WriteLine(sb.LastErrorText)
    Exit Sub
End If


Debug.WriteLine("Result after doing replacements:")
Debug.WriteLine(sb.GetAsString())

'  Result after doing replacements:
'  JOHN ANDERS, +_+_+ MARY ROBINS $$$$