From: Robert Klemme <shortcutter@...>
Date: 2006-05-25T02:27:52+09:00
Subject: Re: RegExp Problem

2006/5/24, John W. Long <ng@johnwlong.com>:
> John W. Long wrote:
> > That makes perfect sense. So how do I get it to do what I want?
>
> I have something that works now:
>
>    re = /(?:"[^"]*?"|'[^']*?')!/
>    md = re.match %{ "this looks like "fun"!" }
>    md[0] #=> "\"fun\"!"
>    md = re.match %{ 'this looks like 'fun'!' }
>    md[0] => "'fun'!"
>
> Still, it makes me wonder if it's possible to do it with back references.

I don't think you can have backreference in character class.  In this
case it's fairly easy.  This is what I'd do

re = %r{
  (?:
    '[^']+' |
    "[^"]+"
  )!
}xi

Basically the same as what you did.  But you do not need the
reluctanct quantifiers because the negated char class prevents longer
matches anyway.  I'm not sure whether there is a performance
difference.

Kind regards

robert

-- 
Have a look: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fussel-foto/