From: Robert Klemme <shortcutter@...>
Date: 2007-08-20T22:54:35+09:00
Subject: Re: regex not gsubbing for me.

2007/8/20, Peter Bailey <pbailey@bna.com>:
> Hi,
> Can someone please explain to me why this simple regex substitution
> won't work?
>
> Source data file:
> <purpose>Reauthorization of collaborative weather modification
> research program within Department of Commerce/NOAA Weather modification
> research appropriations</purpose>
>
> My script line:
> xmlfile.gsub!(/<purpose>(.*)<\/purpose>/mi, '<row><entry><text><emph
> face="b">Purpose: </emph><entry><text>\1')
>
> The data stays the same. The line isn't converted.

Not sure whether that may be related but I'd use (.*?) instead of
(.*). Otherwise you will get just one replacement starting at the
first <purpose> in your file and ending at the last </purpose>.

Btw, are you doing some kind of XML to HTML translation?  Then maybe
XSLT is for you.

Kind regards

robert