in reply to Regex: Matching around a word(s)

I think asking whether a regex is the best way to do this really gets at the heart of the problem. Regexes are great for matching text, but not so hot for parsing it. In this case, I rather think you're in kind of a grey, middle area.

In your place, I might look at Text::ExtractWords. Combine that with Text::Sentence and you could have a very flexible solution that's easier to maintain.

Cheers,
Ovid

New address of my CGI Course.

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Re^2: Regex: Matching around a word(s)
by shotgunefx (Parson) on Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04 UTC
    To be honest, for this limited use, I'm hesitant to add the weight of two more modules (the application is a bit heavy as it is).

    If I'm not able to come up with a straight regex solution, I'll probably do something more iterative


    -Lee

    perl digital dash (in progress)
[reply]
      I wouldn't be weary of weight, unless you are running in a 1990s CGI environment (as opposed to mod_perl or FastCGI), for example.

      This is due to two reasons. First of all, the efficiency difference will probably not be noticable unless benchmarked. The modules might even be more efficient than your regex stuff. Second, your time is worth more than the computer's time, as is the time of the maintenance programmer (you, or some other guy) that will come after you, in a few weeks/months time. This has value that can be later invested in beefier hardware. Unless the performance of the code is a problem (more over - a measurable problem), don't worry about it.

      This is just an opinion though, grain of salt, 2 cents, and all.

      -nuffin
      zz zZ Z Z #!perl
[reply]
        I'm not opposed to modules by any means. Though usually, for something small like this, I'd rather not introduce more dependencies.

        If there was something on CPAN that did what I was looking for, I would have just used it.

        As it stands, there's not. Which has provided some nice mental exercise. Which is good because I've been a tad stagnant. Outside of some software for my car, seems like I've been doing the same thing over and over forever.

        -Lee

        perl digital dash (in progress)
[reply]

        I'd love to see a solution that used Text::ExtractWords and Text::Sentence (There's no link because I cannot find a module by that name?). I just cannot see how the former would be used for this?

        Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.
        Lingua non convalesco, consenesco et abolesco. -- Rule 1 has a caveat! -- Who broke the cabal?
        "Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".
        In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.
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