re = /^(?<forename>.+?)\s(?<surname>\w+)\nBirth\n(?:(?<birth_day>(\d{1,2}|unknown))\s(?<birth_month>\w{3})\s(?<birth_year>\d{4})|\bunknown\b)\n(?<birth_location>.+?\n)?Death\n(?:(?<death_day>(\d{1,2}|unknown))\s(?<death_month>\w{3})\s(?<death_year>\d{4})(?:\s*\(aged\s*(?<age>\d+)\))?|unknown)\n(?<death_location>.+?)\nBurial\n(?<cemetery_name>.+?)\n(?<cemetery_location>.+?)\n(?:Show MapGPS-Latitude:\s*(?<latitude>-?\d+\.\d+),\s*Longitude:\s*(?<longitude>-?\d+\.\d+))?\n?(?:Plot\n(?<plot>.+?)\n?)?Memorial ID\n(?<memorial_id>\d+)/m
str = 'Frederick Clarke
Birth
6 Feb 1871
Death
7 Nov 1952 (aged 81)
Sheffield
Burial
Crookes Cemetery
Sheffield, Metropolitan Borough of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England
Show MapGPS-Latitude: 53.384024, Longitude: -1.515043
Plot
MM 7848
Memorial ID
237065233'
# Print the match result
str.scan(re) do |match|
puts match.to_s
end
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 Ruby, please visit: http://ruby-doc.org/core-2.2.0/Regexp.html