Hi!
I have strings like the following:
$string1='-----------------------------NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
+NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN-------------------------------NNNN
+NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN--------NNNNN
+NNNNNNNNNNNN------------------------NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN-------------
+-------------------------------BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
+BBBBBBBBBBBBBB-----';
$string2='-------------------------------------NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
+NNNNNNN--NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN--NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
+NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN--NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN---------
+-----------------BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB';
$string3='--------------------------------NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
+NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN--------------------------
+---------------------------------BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
+BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB-------------NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
+NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN';
$string4='----------------------------------BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
+BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB-----------------------------------------------N
+NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN------------NNNNNN';

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I want to expand the BBBBBBBB substring to cover all possible ---- until it either reaches the end of the string on its right (NOT on its left), or until it reaches an N, either on its left or its right. What I am looking for is if there is any way, with a pattern match obviously, to cover all these cases, because, the only way I know of is to have 4 if clauses, depending on the format of the initial string...

In reply to How can I expand my substring? by Anonymous Monk

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