From: "trans.  (T. Onoma)" <transami@...>
Date: 2004-10-22T10:38:24+09:00
Subject: A little help on finding the closest match

Better way to find the closest match?

  # example data
  str = "some string abc xyz"
  tokens = [ /abc/, /xyz/ ]
  i = 0

  # must be a better way?
  token,match,mindex = tokens.inject([nil,nil,str.length]){ |memo, tkn| 
    s = str.index( tkn.start_pattern, i )
    if s
      s < memo[2] ? [tkn, $~, s] : memo
    else
      memo
    end
  }

In this case this should return a match to 'abc' (this case has not been 
tested, but the core of this example has)

Thanks,
T.