is regex condition possible in replace-string

Jos Maas

I convert genealogic indexes from archive-sites into a ged-file, so they can be imported in my genealogic program.

In the searchstring I have made a named expression called (?<CTNOTE>…). In some cases it is possible that the CTNOTE expression is an empty string.

So I want to insert the lines 2 NOTE @N01@ and 0 @N10@ NOTE $+{CTNOTE} in the replaced result text only when the CTNOTE expression is not empty. Is it possible to write an replace-regex that does this job and how is it written down?

MAPJe71

Again, this is more a RegEx related question.
There are several websites dedicated to RegEx, just google for it.

guy038

Hi, @jos-maas and All

Sorry, I didn’t understand, exactly, what string must replace your matched search, but here is the general description of the back-references and conditional replacements syntaxes, in the REPLACE part, when using named groups :

SEARCH (?-s)(?<jos>^\d+$)|.+

REPLACE (?{jos}Rewrite $+{jos}, as Group 'jos' exists:Group 'jos' does NOT exist !)

With the reges S/R, above, the text :

123
This is a test
4567890

would be changed into :

Rewrite 123, as Group 'jos' exists
Group 'jos' does NOT exist !
Rewrite 4567890, as Group 'jos' exists

Notes :

As usual, the (?-s) part is added to be sure that the dot symbol will match standard characters, only !
Then we’re searching, either :
- A single integer number, per line, stored as group jos (?<jos>^\d+$) ( It’s the priority search, as the first branch of the alternative )
- All NON-empty contents of current line .+
In replacement, we use the conditional replacement (?{jos}++++++++:--------), which means :
- If the group jos exists, we rewrite the ++++++++ text ( part before the colon symbol )
- If the group jos does not exist, we rewrite the -------- text ( part after the colon symbol )

So :

If a line contains a single number, the group jos exists and we re-write Rewrite $+{jos}, as Group 'jos' exists, with $+{jos, being a back-reference to the named group jos
ELSE the group jos does not exist and we, simply, rewrite the literal text, located after the colon symbol Group 'jos' does NOT exist !

I do hope that this simple example will help you to solve your problem, easily !

Cheers,

guy038

Jos Maas

Bonjour, Guy038,

Your help was to the point, as showed by snippets from the search and replace string hereafter.

In the searchstring: (Opmerking\R+(?<CTOPM>[A-z ]*$)\R+) - there is no need to have an alternation operator and string, because there is a match if “Opmerking\R” is in the tekst and the CTOPM-named substring is not empty, or not.

The replacestrings: (?{CTOPM}2 NOTE @N10@\r\n:) and (?{CTOPM}0 @N10@ NOTE $+{CTOPM}\r\n:) generate the wanted lines if there is a match, or do nothing if there is no match.

This item and that in my previous post illustrate the problem that I have as a newby in regex matters. As I know from my studies - some fifty years ago - you need basic theory, advanced theory and applied theory books to learn a job. I feel there is a lack specific for the regex in notepad++. The tutorial could be seen as an applied handbook, your “SYNTAXE des expressions RÉGULIÈRES PRCE, de NOTEPAD++ v6.0 et PLUS” is perhaps advanced theory, but - as far as I can see - both don’t give a complete overview of all aspects of the regex in notepad++. So far your replies on my posts provide the needed information in addition.

I am grateful for your help on both my posts and I surely will write a call for help when I encounter a new problem.

Cordialement, Jos

guy038

Hi, @jos-maas,

Oh yes ! You’re perfectly right. Even, in the example, described in my previous post, we don’t need any alternative !

But, in that case, when a line does not match ( NO group jos ), this line stays unchanged, and we do not need, either, the ELSE part of the conditional replacement !

So, the previous regex S/R, becomes :

SEARCH (?-s)(?<jos>^\d+$)

REPLACE ?{jos}Rewrite $+{jos}, as Group 'jos' exists

And, with the original text :

123
This is a test
4567890

We would get, this time, the text :

Rewrite 123, as Group 'jos' exists
This is a test
Rewrite 4567890, as Group 'jos' exists

Note that, in replacement, the outer parentheses are removed, without any problem !

Jos, for further information, about regular expressions concept and syntax, begin with that article, in N++ Wiki :

http://docs.notepad-plus-plus.org/index.php/Regular_Expressions

In addition, you’ll find good documentation, about the Boost C++ Regex library, v1.55.0 ( similar to the PERL Regular Common Expressions, v1.48.0 ), used by Notepad++, since its 6.0 version, at the TWO addresses below :

http://www.boost.org/doc/libs/1_48_0/libs/regex/doc/html/boost_regex/syntax/perl_syntax.html

http://www.boost.org/doc/libs/1_48_0/libs/regex/doc/html/boost_regex/format/boost_format_syntax.html

The FIRST link explains the syntax, of regular expressions, in the SEARCH part
The SECOND link explains the syntax, of regular expressions, in the REPLACEMENT part

You may, also, look for valuable informations, on the sites, below :

http://www.regular-expressions.info ( The reference !! )

http://www.rexegg.com

http://perldoc.perl.org/perlre.html

Be aware that, as any documentation, it may contain some errors ! Anyway, if you detected one, that’s good news : you’re improving ;-)

Cheers,

guy038