Subpattern definition construct (?(DEFINE) # start DEFINE block
# pre-define quant subroutine
(?<quant> many | some | five )
# pre-define adj subroutine
(?<adj> blue | large | interesting )
# pre-define object subroutine
(?<object> cars | elephants | problems )
# pre-define noun_phrase subroutine
(?<noun_phrase> (?&quant) \ (?&adj) \ (?&object) )
# pre-define verb subroutine
(?<verb> borrow | solve | ressemble )
)
May only be used to define functions. No matching is done in this group.
# start DEFINE block
start DEFINE block Comment: start DEFINE block
# pre-define quant subroutine
pre-define quant subroutine Comment: pre-define quant subroutine
Named Capture Group quant (?<quant> many | some | five )
many
matches the characters many
some
matches the characters some
five
matches the characters five
# pre-define adj subroutine
pre-define adj subroutine Comment: pre-define adj subroutine
Named Capture Group adj (?<adj> blue | large | interesting )
blue
matches the characters blue
large
matches the characters large
3rd Alternative interesting
interesting
matches the characters interesting
# pre-define object subroutine
pre-define object subroutine Comment: pre-define object subroutine
Named Capture Group object (?<object> cars | elephants | problems )
cars
matches the characters cars
2nd Alternative elephants
elephants
matches the characters elephants
problems
matches the characters problems
# pre-define noun_phrase subroutine
pre-define noun_phrase subroutine Comment: pre-define noun_phrase subroutine
Named Capture Group noun_phrase (?<noun_phrase> (?&quant) \ (?&adj) \ (?&object) )
(?&quant) recurses the subpattern named quant
\ matches the character 3210 (2016 or 408 ) literally (case sensitive)
(?&adj) recurses the subpattern named adj
\ matches the character 3210 (2016 or 408 ) literally (case sensitive)
(?&object) recurses the subpattern named object
# pre-define verb subroutine
pre-define verb subroutine Comment: pre-define verb subroutine
Named Capture Group verb (?<verb> borrow | solve | ressemble )
borrow
matches the characters borrow
3rd Alternative ressemble
# end DEFINE block
end DEFINE block Comment: end DEFINE block
##### The regex matching starts here #####
#### The regex matching starts here ##### Comment: #### The regex matching starts here #####
(?&noun_phrase) recurses the subpattern named noun_phrase
\ matches the character 3210 (2016 or 408 ) literally (case sensitive)
(?&verb) recurses the subpattern named verb
\ matches the character 3210 (2016 or 408 ) literally (case sensitive)
(?&noun_phrase) recurses the subpattern named noun_phrase
x modifier: ex tended. Spaces and text after a # in the pattern are ignored
g modifier: g lobal. All matches (don't return after first match)