I've been trying to modify the classic perlfaq 6 regex for removing C-style comments. For reference, that regex is: 
s#/\*[^*]*\*+([^/*][^*]*\*+)*/|("(\\.|[^"\\])*"|'(\\.|[^'\\])*'|.[^/"'
+\\]*)#defined $2 ? $2 : ""#gse;

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The regex as is removes comments but preserves newlines, so if you have: 
/* I have good commenting style */
i = 1;
/* And I comment every line of code */
i++;
/* Even if it's pointless */
j = i;

j++;

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you get: 
i = 1;

i++;

j = i;

j++;

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when really I want: 
i = 1;
i++;
j = i;

j++;

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I tried modifying the regex to add a \n, which almost works (just before the first |): 
s#/\*[^*]*\*+([^/*][^*]*\*+)*/\n|("(\\.|[^"\\])*"|'(\\.|[^'\\])*'|.[^/
+"'\\]*)#defined $2 ? $2 : ""#gse;

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but when comments are indented it doesn't kill the whitespace at the start of the line: 
void function foo(void)
{
    /*Indented comment*/
    i = 1;
}

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Result: 
void function foo(void)
{
        i = 1;
}

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I've tried adding a \s* at the front of the regex, but that doesn't seem to catch it. I've also tried some more complicated things without luck. Any regex wizard monks out there care to give it a try? Here's a final piece of commented code with the desired result: 
/*This is a bogus function*/
void function foo(void) /*My function is the best*/
{
  int i; /*i is an integer*/
  int j; /*j is also an integer*/

  /*Now I'm going to set i to 1*/
  i = 1;
  /*Also j*/
  j = 1;

  /*Here's some incrementing!*/
  i++;
  
  /*And more!*/
  j++;
/*The end!*/}

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Desired result: 
void function foo(void)
{
  int i;
  int j;

  i = 1;
  j = 1;

  i++;
  
  j++;
}

[download]

In reply to Modify C comment removal code to kill newlines by anjiro

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