Locating data via pattern matching

[Hossam El-Gazzaz]

import java.util.regex.*;
class Regex {
public static void main(String [] args) {
Pattern p = Pattern.compile(args[0]);
Matcher m = p.matcher(args[1] );
boolean b = false;
System.out.println("Pattern is " + m.pattern());
while(b = m.find()) {
System.out.println(m.start() + " " + m.group());
}
}
}



% java Regex "\d\w" "ab4 56_7ab"

Produces the output

Pattern is \d\w
4 56
7 7a


how can i know how \d\w pattern works

eg if we looking for a digit (\d)we will gey the 4 which has index 2
and the word wg we may get the whole 56_7ab which start at index 4

is digit && word
or digit || word

i really dont understant how those metacharcters works together as in the exmaple \d\w

[Henry Wong]

Well. the Java tutorial is a place to start....

http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/essential/regex/

Although, admittingly, there are better tutorials out there. As regex is pretty standard with many different scripting languages.

Henry

[Henry Wong]

% java Regex "\d\w" "ab4 56_7ab"

Basically, a "\d" means a digit -- a single character that can be between a "0" or a "9". A "\w" is a word character -- a single character that can be a digit, or a letter, or a underscore. When put together, it means a digit followed by a word character... so it should match these two parts of your input... "ab4 56_7ab"

Henry

[Hossam El-Gazzaz]

i think that helped me much but i hava a another question

why we got the 7a only
not the 7ab
isnt 7ab make a word too

[James Tharakan]

Hossam El-Gazzaz wrote:
why we got the 7a only
not the 7ab
isnt 7ab make a word too

"W" can only match a single character.
If we want that to match more,i.e zero ,one or more than one ,you have to use characters like * ,?

[Hossam El-Gazzaz]

thank you James
this is very helpful

the problem is solved and
mission accomplished