String Match

zeni has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

$line = "API##";
if($line =~ m/"API#"/) {
      print "Match found\n";
}
else { 
      print "Match not found\n";
}
[download]

Output Expected: "API##" not matched

I need to find the words with a single '#' but it shows matched. Pls help

-- TIA

Comment on String Match Download Code

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: String Match by moritz (Cardinal) on Nov 30, 2009 at 12:30 UTC
If you want exact comparison, don't use regexes: `if ($line eq "API#") { ... }` [download] If you want to use regexes, maybe you need some anchors. See perlretut. Also the double quotes inside the regex are a bit confusing - you won't get any match with them, unless your line also contains literal double quotes. Perl 6 - links to (nearly) everything that is Perl 6.	[reply] [d/l]
Re: String Match by bellaire (Hermit) on Nov 30, 2009 at 12:28 UTC
You don't need quotes inside the regex (the paired slashes do that job), including them searches for quotes inside your string, which you don't have. That makes: `if($line =~ m/API#/) { ...` [download] UPDATE: Thanks for the replies, as ww indicates, you actually want to negate the search on the second `#` symbol, as his solution does (see below).	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^2: String Match by ww (Archbishop) on Nov 30, 2009 at 13:06 UTC
Almost. `if($line =~ m/API#[^#]/) { ...` [download] The negative character class makes the regex reject the doubled-#, as per OP's question. Update: Better answer below at Re^3: String Match. ++ happy.barney!	[reply] [d/l]
Re^3: String Match by happy.barney (Friar) on Nov 30, 2009 at 13:19 UTC
better is to use negative look around assertion: `m/API#(?!#)/`, it match also end of line.	[reply] [d/l]
Re^2: String Match by zeni (Beadle) on Nov 30, 2009 at 13:03 UTC
This din't solve the problem. It says "Matched".	[reply]