Re^2: Beginner question about search and replace

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Re^3: Beginner question about search and replace by luis.roca (Deacon) on Sep 16, 2011 at 15:45 UTC
"Why the (?: ) around the space character? It runs just fine as below?" It does work well and is less complex to explain. I use the `(?: )` to show the practice of not capturing matches into memory which wont be used in the replacement. In this specific example memory isn't going to be a problem because we're only dealing with a single string. But I personally like using it even as a way to mark what I want and don't want to work with in the replacement. "...the adversities born of well-placed thoughts should be considered mercies rather than misfortunes." — Don Quixote	[reply] [d/l]
Re^4: Beginner question about search and replace by Kc12349 (Monk) on Sep 16, 2011 at 16:46 UTC
Fair enough. I was just curious if I was missing something. Thanks	[reply]
Re^3: Beginner question about search and replace by AnomalousMonk (Archbishop) on Sep 16, 2011 at 18:30 UTC
I agree with luis.roca's use of `(?:\s)+` in a pedagogic or self-documentary context as already explained above. I would be inclined to quibble with the use of `(?:\s)+` versus `(?:\s+)` especially in a pedogogic example. While these two expressions behave in exactly the same way in all respects AFAIU, the corresponding capturing expressions `(\s)+` and `(\s+)` behave very differently as to the characters captured, and in an explanatory example this might, by suggestion or implication, lead to great confusion.	[reply] [d/l] [select]