Yes, some of this is shell dependant. I prefer using [x] over \x for escaping characters in regular expressions -- I just think it is easier to read (though it might make the regex slightly slower if the regex compiler doesn't optimize single-char classes -- I hadn't really worried about that before). It is unfortunate that the convoluted rules for detecting variable names inside regexes think [$] is trying to expand the variable $] so you can't use this trick to escape a dollar sign in a regexp.

In most Unix shells, you can switch between quoting styles to make your life easier: 

perl -pi.orig -e 's#<% $flat->purge'"[(]'dynamix','outburst'[)] %>#"'$
+CONFIG{DYNAMIX_OUTBURST}#ge' www/index.html

[download]

Under Win32, you'd use: 

perl -pi.orig -e "s#<% $flat->purge[(]'dynamix','outburst'[)] %>#$CONF
+IG{DYNAMIX_OUTBURST}#ge" www/index.html

[download]

        - tye (but my friends call me "Tye")

In reply to Re: Regex Help by tye
in thread Regex Help by meonkeys

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