From: Gavin Kistner <gavin@...>
Date: 2005-06-22T22:21:20+09:00
Subject: Multiline regexp help

I thought that all four of the following puts statements should be  
the same (except for the leading indentation). My intent was for  
match_indented to match either case. I particularly don't understand  
why the first puts fails.

Do I need more coffee? (Or rather, do I need to start drinking coffee?)


flat = <<ENDSTR
Hello
{{{
Sweet contents.
}}}
World
ENDSTR

indented = <<ENDSTR
Hello
     {{{
     Sweet contents.
     }}}
World
ENDSTR

match_block = /^\{\{\{\n(.+?)\n\}\}\}\n/m
match_indented = /^(  |\t)*\{\{\{\n(.+?)\n\1\}\}\}\n/m

puts flat[ match_block, 2 ]
puts flat[ match_indented, 2 ]
puts indented[ match_block, 2 ]
puts indented[ match_indented, 2 ]

#=> nil
#=> nil
#=> nil
#=>     Sweet contents.