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Regular_Expressions [2016/10/09 13:51]
JMichaelTX ADD link to discussion about uses of RegEx
Regular_Expressions [2022/11/10 03:29] (current)
ccstone [Online Primers & Tutorials]
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-{{:​regex-icon.png?​nolink |}} 
 ====== Regular Expressions (RegEx) ====== ====== Regular Expressions (RegEx) ======
  
 +Keyboard Maestro uses [[https://​www.keyboardmaestro.com/​action/​linkthru?​regularexpressionreferenceoverview|ICU Regular Expressions]] (aka RegEx or RegExp) which is very similar to PCRE (Perl Compatible Regular Expressions),​ and you can read their [documentation](https://​www.keyboardmaestro.com/​action/​linkthru?​regularexpressionreference) by choosing ICU Regular Expression Reference from the Help menu in Keyboard Maestro.  ​
  
-Keyboard Maestro uses [[http://​userguide.icu-project.org/​strings/​regexp|ICU Regular Expressions]] (aka RegEx or RegExp) which is very similar to PCRE (Perl Compatible Regular Expressions),​ and you can read their [documentation](http://​userguide.icu-project.org/​strings/​regexp#​TOC-Regular-Expression-Metacharacters) by choosing ICU Regular Expression Reference from the Help menu in Keyboard Maestro.  ​ 
  
 +In any [[Actions|Action]] where the term "​matches"​ is used, you may (optionally) use a regular expression.
  
-In Keyboard Maestro Actions, if the term "​matches"​ is used, it means that it supports regular expression. ​ However, there are many Actions in Keyboard Maestro where you can use a regular expression, which may not be obvious. ​ For more info see [Places where Regular Expressions can be used](https://​forum.keyboardmaestro.com/​t/​places-where-regular-expressions-can-be-used/​4392). 
  
 +**The two most commonly used RegEx Actions are:**
 +  * [[action:​Search_using_Regular_Expression|Search using Regular Expression ]] to extract [[https://​www.regular-expressions.info/​brackets.html | Capture Groups]].
 +  * [[action:​Search_and_Replace|Search and Replace]]
  
----- +In all of the RegEx searchesyou can choose to search in any one of the followingSystem ClipboardVariableFile, Text entered into the Action, and Named Clipboard.
- +
- +
-===== Capture Groups ===== +
- +
-  - Use the form of `$n` in the Action Replace boxwhere n is the number for the capture group.  +
-  - Example`$1$2$3` +
-  - This is the same as `\n` used in other apps/​languages.+
  
 +There are many Actions in Keyboard Maestro where you can use a regular expression, which may not be obvious. ​ For more info see [Places where Regular Expressions can be used](https://​forum.keyboardmaestro.com/​t/​places-where-regular-expressions-can-be-used/​4392).
  
 ===== Search Modifiers ===== ===== Search Modifiers =====
  
-The ICU calls these modifiers "[[http://userguide.icu-project.org/strings/regexp#​TOC-Flag-Options|flag options]]"​.+The ICU calls these modifiers "[[https://www.keyboardmaestro.com/action/linkthru?​regularexpressionreferenceflags|flag options]]"​.
  
 The search modifier "​Pattern to Use" shown below is placed at the very beginning of the Search/Find Regular Expression box.\\  ​ The search modifier "​Pattern to Use" shown below is placed at the very beginning of the Search/Find Regular Expression box.\\  ​
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 ^Purpose^Pattern to Use^Description^ ^Purpose^Pattern to Use^Description^
-|Global|NONE|All searches are global in Keyboard Maestro.\\ This is often indicated in other tools by the `/g` modifier.|+|Global|NONE|The [[action:​Search_using_Regular_Expression|Search using Regular Expression Action]] will return the _first_ match it finds in the source string.\\ ​ In order to make it be a "global" search, you need to put this Action in a [[action:​For_Each|For Each Action]] that uses the [ [[collection:​Substrings_In|Substrings Matching in]] ] [[:​Collections|Collection]]. ​ This will loop through all matches found in the source string.\\ This is often indicated in other tools by the `/g` modifier.|
 |Case Insensitive|`(?​i)`|Matching will be in a case-insensitive manner.\\ ​ In some Actions this is NOT necessary since the Action already provides an "​ignoring case" option.| |Case Insensitive|`(?​i)`|Matching will be in a case-insensitive manner.\\ ​ In some Actions this is NOT necessary since the Action already provides an "​ignoring case" option.|
 |Dot includes EOL|`(?​s)`|A "​`.`"​ in a pattern will match a line terminator in the input text. Note that a CR LF pair in text behave as a single line terminator, and will match a single "​."​ in a RE pattern.| |Dot includes EOL|`(?​s)`|A "​`.`"​ in a pattern will match a line terminator in the input text. Note that a CR LF pair in text behave as a single line terminator, and will match a single "​."​ in a RE pattern.|
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 |Word Boundaries|`(?​w)`|Controls the behavior of \b in a pattern.\\ If used, word boundaries are found according to the definitions of word found in [[http://​unicode.org/​reports/​tr29/#​Word_Boundaries|Unicode UAX 29, Text Boundaries]].| |Word Boundaries|`(?​w)`|Controls the behavior of \b in a pattern.\\ If used, word boundaries are found according to the definitions of word found in [[http://​unicode.org/​reports/​tr29/#​Word_Boundaries|Unicode UAX 29, Text Boundaries]].|
 |Comments|`(?​x)`|Ignores white space and allows #​comments.\\ If used, white space within regular expressions is ignored and you can use #​line-comments.| |Comments|`(?​x)`|Ignores white space and allows #​comments.\\ If used, white space within regular expressions is ignored and you can use #​line-comments.|
 +
 +
 +===== Capture Groups =====
 +
 +  * Use the form of `$<​CG#>​`,​ or `\<​CG#>​` (in ver 8+) in the Action Replace box, where `<​CG#>​` is the number for the capture group. ​
 +  * Examples: ​
 +    * `$1`, `$2`, `$23`
 +    * `${1}`, ${2}`, ${23}`, ​
 +    * `${name}` - named capture group (v9.2+, 10.13+)
 +    * `\1`, `\2`, `\3` - single digit only (v8.0+)
 +  * This is the same as `\<​CG#>​` used in other apps/​languages,​ like BBEdit.
 +  * The zeroth capture group (eg `$0`) is the entire match.
 +
 +For more information,​ see [[https://​www.regular-expressions.info/​brackets.html | Capture Groups]].
 +
  
 ===== Use of Text Tokens ===== ===== Use of Text Tokens =====
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 You can use Keyboard Maestro [[Tokens|Text Tokens]] anywhere appropriate in both the Search pattern and the Replace pattern. You can use Keyboard Maestro [[Tokens|Text Tokens]] anywhere appropriate in both the Search pattern and the Replace pattern.
  
 +
 +===== ICU 55+ Metacharacters =====
 +
 +For the currently complete list, see [ICU Regular Expression Metacharacters](https://​www.keyboardmaestro.com/​action/​linkthru?​regularexpressionreference).
 +
 +[ICU 55](http://​site.icu-project.org/​download/​55) was released on 2015-04-01, and is available in the follow software versions:
 +  * macOS 10.11+ (El Capitan) except for JavaScript
 +  * Keyboard Maestro Native Actions
 +
 +These Metacharacters offer some powerful solutions to long-standing RegEx problems. These can replace complicated RegEx patterns previously required, and are recommended for use if you are running the required versions. ​ For example, `\h` and `\R`.  ICU 55 is _not_ available in all RegEx engines. ​ A notable exception is JavaScript (and JXA), even in High Sierra. ​ So if you are using the native Keyboard Maestro Actions that use RegEx, it would be available, but not necessarily in Actions that use Execute Script in another language. ​ It is available in Execute AppleScript Actions that use ASObjC RegEx.
 +
 +^   New Metacharacters in ICU 55+(([ICU Regular Expression Metacharacters](https://​www.keyboardmaestro.com/​action/​linkthru?​regularexpressionreference))) ​  ^^^
 +^ Character ^ Alternate Expression\\ (Pre ICU 55) ^ Description ^
 +| `\h` | `[^\S\r\n\f]` | Match a Horizontal White Space character.\\ They are characters with Unicode General Category of Space_Separator plus the ASCII tab (\u0009). |
 +| `\H` | `[\S\r\n\f]` | Match a non-Horizontal White Space character. |
 +| `\k<​name>​` | //No Alternative//​ | Named Capture Back Reference. |
 +| `\R` | `(?:​\r?​\n|\r)` | Match a new line character, or the sequence CR LF.\\ The new line characters are \u000a, \u000b, \u000c, \u000d, \u0085, \u2028, \u2029 |
 +| `\v` | `[\n\r]` | Match a new line character.\\ The new line characters are \u000a, \u000b, \u000c, \u000d, \u0085, \u2028, \u2029.\\ Does not match the new line sequence CR LF. |
 +| `\V` | `[^\n\r]` | Match a non-new line character. |
 +For an in-depth discussion, see this Forum topic: [RegEx for Horizontal Whitespace](https://​forum.keyboardmaestro.com/​t/​wiki-update-regex-icu-55-metacharacters/​10788).
 ===== Examples ===== ===== Examples =====
  
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 ===== See also: ===== ===== See also: =====
- 
----- 
  
 === Actions === === Actions ===
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 * [[:​Triggers|See all Triggers]] * [[:​Triggers|See all Triggers]]
  
----- 
  
 ==== Macros That Use RegEx ==== ==== Macros That Use RegEx ====
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-- [[https://www.google.fr/​search?​q=site:​forum.keyboardmaestro.com+Regular+Expression+RegEx|Keyboard Maestro Forum topics about Regular Expressions (RegEx)]]+- [[https://​forum.keyboardmaestro.com/tags/regex|Keyboard Maestro Forum topics about Regular Expressions (RegEx)]]
  
 ==== General ==== ==== General ====
  
-  - [[http://userguide.icu-project.org/strings/regexp|ICU Regular Expressions]]+  - [[https://www.keyboardmaestro.com/action/linkthru?​regularexpressionreferenceoverview|ICU Regular Expressions]]
   - [ICU Unicode Properties for Regular Expressions](http://​unicode.keyboardmaestro.com)   - [ICU Unicode Properties for Regular Expressions](http://​unicode.keyboardmaestro.com)
   - [[https://​en.wikipedia.org/​wiki/​Regular_expression|Wikpedia Regular Expression article]]   - [[https://​en.wikipedia.org/​wiki/​Regular_expression|Wikpedia Regular Expression article]]
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 ==== Software ==== ==== Software ====
  
-  ​[[http://​www.barebones.com/​products/​textwrangler/|TextWrangler (a freeware text editor ​with PCRE regular expression support)]] +  ​[[http://​www.barebones.com/​products/​bbedit/|BBEdit]] -- A Programming Editor ​with PCRE regular expression support.      
-  ​[[http://​itunes.apple.com/​us/​app/​patterns-the-regex-app/​id429449079?​mt=12|Patterns ​— a regular expression analyzer on the app-store]] +    * The commercial demo expires in 30 days and reverts to the still //very// powerful BBEdit-Lite (freeware)
-  ​[[https://​itunes.apple.com/​us/​app/​regexrx/​id498370702?​mt=12|RegExRX ​— a regular expression analyzer on the app-store]] +''''​ 
-  ​[[https://​regex101.com|RegEx101.com]] -- Online RegEx Analyzer+ 
 +  ​[[http://​itunes.apple.com/​us/​app/​patterns-the-regex-app/​id429449079?​mt=12|Patterns]] -- A regular expression analyzer ​available ​on the app-store. 
 +  ​[[https://​itunes.apple.com/​us/​app/​regexrx/​id498370702?​mt=12|RegExRX]] -- A regular expression analyzer ​available ​on the app-store
 + 
 +  ​''''​ 
 + 
 +  * [[https://​regex101.com|RegEx101.com]] -- An Outstanding and Comprehensive ​Online RegEx Analyzer
 +  * [[http://​regexr.com/​|Regexr]] -- Regex testing and explaining, examples and references.
  
 ==== Books ==== ==== Books ====
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 ==== Online Primers & Tutorials ==== ==== Online Primers & Tutorials ====
  
-  - [[http://​www.agillo.net/​regex-primer-part-1/​|Regex Primer : Part 1]] 
-  - [[http://​www.agillo.net/​regex-primer-part-2/​|Regex Primer : Part 2]] 
   - [Regular Expressions Quick Start](http://​www.regular-expressions.info/​quickstart.html)   - [Regular Expressions Quick Start](http://​www.regular-expressions.info/​quickstart.html)
   - [[http://​www.codeproject.com/​KB/​dotnet/​regextutorial.aspx|CodeProject.com RegExTutorial]]   - [[http://​www.codeproject.com/​KB/​dotnet/​regextutorial.aspx|CodeProject.com RegExTutorial]]
- 
- 
----- 
  
 Keywords: ​ //Regular Expression, RegEx, RegExp, Find, Replace, Match// Keywords: ​ //Regular Expression, RegEx, RegExp, Find, Replace, Match//
Regular_Expressions.1476035497.txt.gz · Last modified: 2016/10/09 13:51 by JMichaelTX