From: Richard Lionheart <NoOne@...>
Date: 2004-07-09T13:47:33+09:00
Subject: Anomoly using pattern to remove superfluous final \, if present

Hi All,

The following Ruby script displays use of a pattern to remove a superfluous
backslash in a string if present.  It works as intended with two "toy"
situations,  but fails when applied to an environment string running under
Windows.

Can anyone tell me where I erred?

TIA,
Richard

============ Ruby pgm ===========

# Executed under Windows 2000

s1 = "ab\\\\"
puts "s1 before: \"#{s1}\" (two backslashes)"
s1.chop! if s1.reverse =~ /^\\\\/
puts "s1 after: \"#{s1}\" (redced to a single backslash)"

s2 = "ab\\"
puts "s2 before: \"#{s2}\" (single backslash)"
s2.chop! if s2.reverse =~ /^\\\\/
puts "s2 after: \"#{s2}\" (single backslash, undisturbed)"

s3 = ENV["UserProfile"]
puts "s3: \"#{s3}\""
sCookiesPath = s3 + "\\"
puts "Cookies path before: \"#{sCookiesPath}\" (single backslash)"
sCookiesPath.chop! if sCookiesPath.reverse !~ /^\\\\/
puts "Cookies path after: \"#{sCookiesPath}\" (single backslash removed -
why)"

<<'OUTPUT'
>rubyw PatternsTest.rb
s1 before: "ab\\" (two backslashes)
s1 after: "ab\" (redced to a single backslash)
s2 before: "ab\" (single backslash)
s2 after: "ab\" (single backslash, undisturbed)
s3: "G:\Documents and Settings\RLMuller"
Cookies path before: "G:\Documents and Settings\RLMuller\" (single
backslash)
Cookies path after: "G:\Documents and Settings\RLMuller" (single backslash
removed - why)
>Exit code: 0
OUTPUT


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.713 / Virus Database: 469 - Release Date: 7/7/2004