Regular Expressions 101

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An explanation of your regex will be automatically generated as you type.
Detailed match information will be displayed here automatically.
  • All Tokens
  • Common Tokens
  • General Tokens
  • Anchors
  • Meta Sequences
  • Quantifiers
  • Group Constructs
  • Character Classes
  • Flags/Modifiers
  • Substitution
  • A single character of: a, b or c
    [abc]
  • A character except: a, b or c
    [^abc]
  • A character in the range: a-z
    [a-z]
  • A character not in the range: a-z
    [^a-z]
  • A character in the range: a-z or A-Z
    [a-zA-Z]
  • Any single character
    .
  • Alternate - match either a or b
    a|b
  • Any whitespace character
    \s
  • Any non-whitespace character
    \S
  • Any digit
    \d
  • Any non-digit
    \D
  • Any word character
    \w
  • Any non-word character
    \W
  • Non-capturing group
    (?:...)
  • Capturing group
    (...)
  • Zero or one of a
    a?
  • Zero or more of a
    a*
  • One or more of a
    a+
  • Exactly 3 of a
    a{3}
  • 3 or more of a
    a{3,}
  • Between 3 and 6 of a
    a{3,6}
  • Start of string
    ^
  • End of string
    $
  • A word boundary
    \b
  • Non-word boundary
    \B

Regular Expression
No Match

r"
"
gmix

Test String

Code Generator

Generated Code

#include <StringConstants.au3> ; to declare the Constants of StringRegExp #include <Array.au3> ; UDF needed for _ArrayDisplay and _ArrayConcatenate Local $sRegex = "(?mix)#Modifiers << NOT GOING TO DO THESE HERE." & @CRLF & _ " #∂ Before After Until in?Between" & @CRLF & _ " #∂ onwards" & @CRLF & _ "#Time-Time << Don't need as both times will match" & @CRLF & _ "#Lonely HOURS List: 10,time or 12 <not going to do this" & @CRLF & _ "" & @CRLF & _ "# - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - " & @CRLF & _ "# - - - - - - - - - - - BIG TIME REGEX - - - - - - - - - - - - " & @CRLF & _ "" & @CRLF & _ "#LONELY HOURS" & @CRLF & _ "#These guys are just \d\d. So we identify them through proximity to known times" & @CRLF & _ "(?:" & @CRLF & _ " #Boundary Lookaround" & @CRLF & _ " (?<=[ ]|^|[^\d\.:\r\n$£-])" & @CRLF & _ " #hour - you always have hours" & @CRLF & _ " (?:1[0-9]|2[0-4]|0?[0-9])" & @CRLF & _ " " & @CRLF & _ " (?:" & @CRLF & _ " #Hour [or / to - , and]" & @CRLF & _ " #People don't say "12pm or 3?" much. Build it if it comes up." & @CRLF & _ " (?:[ ]? (?:or|[,/-]|to|and) [ ]?)" & @CRLF & _ " )" & @CRLF & _ "){0,3}" & @CRLF & _ "" & @CRLF & _ "#TIME BASICS:" & @CRLF & _ "#Basic times that are definitely times. Have to come last so longer strings match first." & @CRLF & _ " #Boundary Lookaround (BREAK THIS FOR THE LONELY NUMBERS)" & @CRLF & _ "# (?<=[ ]|^|[^\d\.:\r\n$£-])" & @CRLF & _ " #hour - you always have hours" & @CRLF & _ " ( (?:1[0-9]|2[0-4]|0?[0-9]) )" & @CRLF & _ " #Clarifier. Minutes, AM|PM, a TimeZone or a combination." & @CRLF & _ " (" & @CRLF & _ " #Minutes" & @CRLF & _ " (?:[ ]?[\:\. ][ ]?) ([0-5][0-9])" & @CRLF & _ " #AM|PM" & @CRLF & _ " | (?:[ ]?[ap]m|[ ]?o\'?[ ]?clock)" & @CRLF & _ " #TimeZones" & @CRLF & _ " | (?:[ ]? (?:PS?T|GMT|∆USA|∆US|ET|BST|∆UK" & @CRLF & _ " |UK[ ]?[Tt]ime|[Ee]astern[ ]?[Tt]ime|[Pp]acific[ ]?[Tt]ime|[Cc]entral[ ]?[Tt]ime" & @CRLF & _ " |∆UTC|ACDT|ACST|ACT|ACT|ADT|AEDT|AEST|AFT|AKDT|AKST|AMST|AMT|AMT|ART|AST|AST|AWDT" & @CRLF & _ " |AWST|AZOST|AZT|BDT|BDT|BIOT|BRST|BRT|BST|BST|BST|BTT|CCT|CDT|CDT|CEDT|CEST|CET" & @CRLF & _ " |CHADT|CHAST|CHOT|ChST|CHUT|CIST|CIT|CKT|CLST|CLT|COT|CST|CST|CST|CST|CST|CT|CVT" & @CRLF & _ " |CWST|CXT|DAVT|DDUT|DFT|EASST|ECT|ECT|EDT|EEDT|EEST|EET|EGST|EGT|EIT|EST|EST|FET" & @CRLF & _ " |FJT|FKST|FKST|FKT|FNT|GALT|GAMT|GFT|GILT|GIT|GMT|GST|GST|GYT|HADT|HAEC|HAST|HKT" & @CRLF & _ " |HMT|HOVT|HST|IBST|ICT|IDT|IRDT|IRKT|IRST|IST|IST|IST|JST|KGT|KOST|KRAT|KST|LHST" & @CRLF & _ " |LHST|LINT|MAGT|MART|MAWT|MDT|MET|MEST|MHT|MIST|MMT|MSK|MST|MST|MST|MUT|MVT|MYT|NCT" & @CRLF & _ " |NDT|NFT|NPT|NST|NT|NUT|NZDT|NZST|OMST|ORAT|PDT|PETT|PGT|PHOT|PKT|PMDT|PMST|PONT" & @CRLF & _ " |PST|PST|PYST|PYT|RET|ROTT|SAKT|SAMT|SAST|SBT|SCT|SGT|SLST|SRET|SRT|SST|SST|SYOT" & @CRLF & _ " |TAHT|THA|TFT|TJT|TKT|TLT|TMT|TOT|TVT|ULAT|USZ1|UYST|UYT|UZT|VET|VLAT|VOLT|VOST" & @CRLF & _ " |VUT|WAKT|WAST|WAT|WEDT|WEST|WET|WST|YAKT)\b )" & @CRLF & _ " #Now enable the combo. Note ideally we would say "use one of each" e.g., =/10:234210" & @CRLF & _ " ){1,3}" & @CRLF & _ "" & @CRLF & _ "" & @CRLF & _ "" & @CRLF & _ "#Lonely HOURS: List of Military times <Here we have enough info to allow no ":"." & @CRLF & _ " |( (?:" & @CRLF & _ " #Boundary Lookaround" & @CRLF & _ " (?<=[ ]|^|[^\d\.:\r\n$£-])" & @CRLF & _ " #Must open with a military time, no "445" must be "0445"" & @CRLF & _ " (?:1[0-9]|2[0-4]|0[0-9])" & @CRLF & _ " (?:[ ]?[0-5][0-9][ ]?)" & @CRLF & _ " #or and" & @CRLF & _ " (?:[ ]? (?:or|[,/-]|to|and) [ ]?)" & @CRLF & _ " #2-4 military times, including the closing one" & @CRLF & _ " ){1,3}" & @CRLF & _ " #Must also end with a military time" & @CRLF & _ " (?:1[0-9]|2[0-4]|0[0-9])" & @CRLF & _ " (?:[ ]?[0-5][0-9][ ]?)" & @CRLF & _ " )" & @CRLF & _ "" & @CRLF & _ "#Post rationalise the boundary criteria (?:\b|$|,\b)" Local $sString = "NEW TIME MATCHING REGEX" & @CRLF & _ "*** REGEX 1: LONELY NUMBERS ***" & @CRLF & _ "12 or 3pm" & @CRLF & _ "4/5CET" & @CRLF & _ "5-6pm" & @CRLF & _ "2,4,5pm" & @CRLF & _ "1,3 or 6pm" & @CRLF & _ "OK. 1,2,3 and 5pm are available" & @CRLF & _ "12pm or 3pm <Shouldn't match "or"" & @CRLF & _ "" & @CRLF & _ "#Military times" & @CRLF & _ "1200 or 1300." & @CRLF & _ "1100,1300 or 1400." & @CRLF & _ "121212121212121212 <don't match" & @CRLF & _ "" & @CRLF & _ "*** REGEX 2: BASICS ***" & @CRLF & _ "1" & @CRLF & _ "11am or 2pm" & @CRLF & _ "12pm" & @CRLF & _ "12 CET" & @CRLF & _ "12pm CET" & @CRLF & _ "12.32pm" & @CRLF & _ "14 pm" & @CRLF & _ "10.00?" & @CRLF & _ "0.15" & @CRLF & _ "3 : 34" & @CRLF & _ "10 53" & @CRLF & _ "00.15" & @CRLF & _ "at3.00?" & @CRLF & _ "10amis good for me" & @CRLF & _ " 4 oclock" & @CRLF & _ "2o'clock" & @CRLF & _ "2 o clock" & @CRLF & _ "yes,3 am" & @CRLF & _ "12.50 GBP" & @CRLF & _ "USD 4.00" & @CRLF & _ "" & @CRLF & _ "£12.50" & @CRLF & _ "10.93?" & @CRLF & _ "00000" & @CRLF & _ "0000-559" & @CRLF & _ "00001" & @CRLF & _ "" & @CRLF & _ "" & @CRLF & _ "" & @CRLF & _ "" & @CRLF & _ "00001" & @CRLF & _ "00001" & @CRLF & _ "01300" & @CRLF & _ "01700" & @CRLF & _ "from 2 - 6" & @CRLF & _ "there is about 3 of them" & @CRLF & _ "Not sure, maybe 14 apples?" & @CRLF & _ "how about 10 tomorrow? << should fail" & @CRLF & _ "10 tomorrow?" & @CRLF & _ "about £23.00" & @CRLF & _ "" & @CRLF & _ "" & @CRLF & _ "10,11 or 12" & @CRLF & _ "10, 11 or 2?" & @CRLF & _ "10 or 12?" & @CRLF & _ "10 or my place?" & @CRLF & _ "1030 or 1130" & @CRLF & _ "10.30 or 12?" & @CRLF & _ "10 and 11 work" & @CRLF & _ "10, 11, 12th?" & @CRLF & _ "" & @CRLF & _ "1,000" & @CRLF & _ "" Local $aArray = StringRegExp($sString, $sRegex, $STR_REGEXPARRAYGLOBALFULLMATCH) Local $aFullArray[0] For $i = 0 To UBound($aArray) -1 _ArrayConcatenate($aFullArray, $aArray[$i]) Next $aArray = $aFullArray ; Present the entire match result _ArrayDisplay($aArray, "Result")

Please keep in mind that these code samples are automatically generated and are not guaranteed to work. If you find any syntax errors, feel free to submit a bug report. For a full regex reference for AutoIt, please visit: https://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/docs/functions/StringRegExp.htm