From: Rick DeNatale <rick.denatale@...>
Date: 2009-09-20T13:07:31+09:00
Subject: Re: Regexp question difference between ^ and \A

On Sat, Sep 19, 2009 at 9:39 PM, Hunt Jon <jona.hunt777@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi
>
> I'm trying to find good use examples to show a difference
> between ^ and \A in Ruby regular expressions.
>
> \A is for beginning of a string
> ^ beginning of a line or string
>
> As a regular expression runs one line by line (if I'm correct),
> I think both are the same.

No you are not correct, and they aren't the same:

irb(main):001:0> /\Axyzzy/ =~ "xyzzy"
=> 0
irb(main):002:0> /\Axyzzy/ =~ "abc\nxyzzy"
=> nil
irb(main):003:0> /^xyzzy/ =~ "xyzzy"
=> 0
irb(main):004:0> /^xyzzy/ =~ "abc\nxyzzy"
=> 4


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Rick DeNatale

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