Javascript more than one RegEx backreferance

Question

Is it possible for javascript to to create multiple new variables using RegEx back references? Something like:

var temp = fileName.replace(new RegExp( "(^.)(.*)(_.*)(-.*)", "i" ),"\$1\$2\$3\$4");
var first = $1;
var forth = $4;

In perl I would do something like this:

$uprate =~ /(^.)(.*)(_.*)(-.*)/$1 $2 $3 $4/;

$first = $1;
$forth = $4;

Those are not back refs, they're just memory captures. Just remove the backslash should make it work. — Ja͢ck, Mar 09 '13 at 02:55
Possible duplicate [How do you access the matched groups in a javascript regex?](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/432493/how-do-you-access-the-matched-groups-in-a-javascript-regex). — juan.facorro, Mar 09 '13 at 03:00

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 09 '13 at 02:58

3

Try using the Javascript String's match method. It will return an object containing all matched groups.

var matches = fileName.match(/(^.)(.*)(_.*)(-.*)/i);
var first = matches[1];
var fourth = matches[4];

The match method will return null if the string doesn't match the regex, so be sure to test for that unless you're certain it will succeed.

answered Mar 09 '13 at 02:58

cspotcode

Thanks cspotcode, clearly I was pursuing the wrong path with what I was using. Your solution worked perfectly. – cubicalmonkey Mar 09 '13 at 03:09

1 Answers1