====== Search using Regular Expression Action ======
{{:regex-icon.png?nolink|}}

The //Search using Regular Expression// action allows you to search a clipboard, variable, a file (v8+) or some text (v8+) for a [[:Regular Expressions|regular expression]] and capture what you find to one or more variables. This can be very useful for splitting apart the contents of a variable.

:!:  **Note:  This RegEx Search returns _only the first_ match in the source text.**\\
If you want to process _all_ matches, you will need to use a [[action:For_Each|For Each Action]] as [[:Regular_Expressions#Examples|Shown in this Example]].

{{:action:search-using-regex.png?nolink&516|}}

===== How To Use =====

==== Source ====

Select the source to search to search using the //Search// pop-up.  In all of the RegEx searches, you can choose to search in any one of the following: System Clipboard, Variable, File, Text entered into the Action, and Named Clipboard.

==== Case Sensitivity ====

Select whether or not to match the case from the //using Regular Expression// pop-up. You can also use a RegEx flag at the beginning of the pattern to indicate case insensitive matching:  `(?i)`

==== RegEx Pattern to Search For ====

Then enter the RegEx pattern to search for in the text area.

==== Save Capture Groups to Variables ====

Enter the [[manual:Variables|Variable]] for each the entire Match and each Capture Group you wish to save as a Variable.  This output section will auto-expand to present one field for each Capture Group in your RegEx pattern.

For more information, see [[https://www.regular-expressions.info/brackets.html | Capture Groups]].

==== Handling Search Failure ====

If the search fails (no match), by default (7.1+) the action will abort the macro and notify you of the failure.  The destination variables will not be modified.  You can turn off aborting the macro and/or notifying you in the gear menu (the destination variables will still not be modified in this case).

===== Examples =====

**1. Use a regular expression to search through a product price list and save only certain parts of it.**


If your Source String (data) is: 
```text
SKU1234Δ    Widget 1Δ	$12.95
```
(the "Δ" character is a TAB character)\\

then you would use a RegEx pattern like:\\
`(SKU\d{4})\h(.+)\h(.+)`

To see a detailed explanation, and live editor, see https://regex101.com/r/MQ5FwG/1/.\\

Save the first and third bracketed items (Capture Groups) to save the SKU number and the price. 

To work through a list you would need to include a loop or repeat of some kind. 

{{:action:searchvariableexample.png?514|}}

Which results in:

{{:action:searchvariableresult.png?345|}}

===== See Also =====

=== Actions ===

* [[:Actions|See all Actions]]

==== Topics ====

* [[:Regular Expressions|Regular Expressions]]
* [[:Clipboards|Clipboards]]

==== Forum ====

- [[https://forum.keyboardmaestro.com/t/extracting-substring-of-a-variable/3007/2|Extracting substring of a Variable]]

- [[https://forum.keyboardmaestro.com/search?q=Search%20Variable|Keyboard Maestro Forum topics about Search Variable]]