a space, followed by a dash, followed by a carriage return OR a colon, followed by a carriage return

So far that's simple / -[:r\r]\r/

BUT NOT a colon, followed by carriage return

If you're looking for two carriage returns in a row, then you'll never find something where the first carriage return is followed by a colon (because then it's not two carriage returns in a row, d'oh), so I don't see why you emphasize it like that.

followed by carriage return, followed by a digit, or a letter.
\r\w
One of the text files is actually located here: http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/SDN-List/Documents/sdnew02.txt

The pattern you describe matches nowhere in that file; in fact I can't find a single occurence of a carriage return in that file.

If you describe what information you want to extract from that file, we might be able to help you. But right now it seems that you don't have a clear mental image yourself, so it's pretty hard to help you.


In reply to Re^3: Reg Exp to handle variations in the matched pattern by moritz
in thread Reg Exp to handle variations in the matched pattern by markjrouse

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