Re^5: Match a pattern only if it is not within another pattern

Well, technically the OP does say "surrounded", ...

Actually not.

And the examples given do not indicate this possibility either.

Perhaps more important is that "reversible bracketing" doesn't really make much sense. Consider

foo < foo > foo < foo < foo > foo > foo < foo < foo > foo < foo > foo 
+> foo
123 |.....|.....|     |.....|     |.....|     |.....|.....|.....|     
+  123
                |.................|     |.............................
+|
[download]

Can you conceive of an application where this would make sense?

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The "good enough" maybe good enough for the now, and perfection maybe unobtainable, but that should not preclude us from striving for perfection, when time, circumstance or desire allow.

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Re^6: Match a pattern only if it is not within another pattern by Transient (Hermit) on Aug 17, 2005 at 17:50 UTC
Well, technically the OP does say "surrounded", ... Actually not. Read again: `# replace all foo(s) above with 123 except for the ones that are # surrounded by bar and qux` [download] to me it's conceivable that it also meant the reverse of bar.+qux, although it is a stretch. I agree that the examples do not indicate this, however. My ability to conceive of an application where reversible bracketing would make sense is irrelevent, but it really does only make sense on a primary, un-nested level, e.g. `bar foo qux qux foo bar qux foo bar bar foo qux` [download] whereas these are already covered by the base case: `bar qux foo bar qux bar foo qux foo bar foo qux` [download] although the first one could be seen as overlapping nesting and then we get into a whole 'nother realm of questions =) In any case, I agree that, except in extreme cases, your original response would be more than sufficient. I am merely trying to present another possible interpretation.	[reply] [d/l] [select]

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Re^6: Match a pattern only if it is not within another pattern
by Transient (Hermit) on Aug 17, 2005 at 17:50 UTC

Well, technically the OP does say "surrounded", ...
Actually not.

# replace all foo(s) above with 123 except for the ones that are
# surrounded by bar and qux
[download]

bar foo qux qux foo bar
qux foo bar
bar foo qux
[download]

bar qux foo bar qux
bar foo qux foo bar foo qux
[download]

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