PHP preg_match exact match and get whats inside brackets

Question

Lets say I have the following string:

"**link(http://google.com)*{Google}**"

And I want to use preg_match to find the EXACT text **link(http://google.com) but the text inside the brackets changes all the time. I used to use:

preg_match('#\((.*?)\)#', $text3, $match2);

Which would get what is inside the brackets which is good but if I had: *hwh(http://google.com)** it would get whats inside of that. So how can i get whats inside the brackets if, in front of the brackets has **link?

Sorry, didn't understand, desired output is: "http://google.com" or "**link(http://google.com)"? — sinisake, Nov 20 '16 at 19:25
From what I understood he wants the URL inside `**link(URL)`. — Tomasz Kowalczyk, Nov 20 '16 at 19:26
I want to get google.com but only if **link( comes before it and )* comes after it. — user7133318, Nov 20 '16 at 19:27
@user7133318 can you give an example text that contains the content you're trying to extract? — Tomasz Kowalczyk, Nov 20 '16 at 19:28
If i could suggest non-regex solution: https://eval.in/681309... — sinisake, Nov 20 '16 at 19:51

Davit Gabrielyan · Answer 1 · 2016-11-20T19:31:29.490

0

Here

preg_match("/\*\*link\((\D+)\)/",$text,$match);

edited Nov 20 '16 at 19:31

answered Nov 20 '16 at 19:24

Davit Gabrielyan

196
2
7

1

can you explain how /\{([A-Za-z]\w+)\} works because i would like to know – user7133318 Nov 20 '16 at 19:25
Sorry misunderstood you question – Davit Gabrielyan Nov 20 '16 at 19:32

Tomasz Kowalczyk · Accepted Answer · 2016-11-20T19:52:05.953

0

~(?:\*\*link$([^$]+)\))~ will match contents in the brackets for all inputs that look like **link(URL) but do not contain extra ) inside URLs. See the example on Regexr: http://regexr.com/3en33 . The whole example:

$text = '"**link(http://google.com)*{Google}**"
**link(arduino.cc)*{official Arduino site}';
$regex = '~(?:\*\*link\((?<url>[^)]+))~';
preg_match_all($regex, $text, $matches);

var_dump($regex, $matches['url']);

edited Nov 20 '16 at 19:52

answered Nov 20 '16 at 19:24

Tomasz Kowalczyk

10,472
6
52
68

Thanks but it said 'g' was unknown modifier so i removed it and it gave me – user7133318 Nov 20 '16 at 19:29
////www.arduino.cc/ with all those extra slashes for whatever reason – user7133318 Nov 20 '16 at 19:29
yes code preg_match("(?<=\*\*link)$(.*)$", $text3, $match2); and the text **link(https://www.arduino.cc/)*{official Arduino site}** – user7133318 Nov 20 '16 at 19:31
You have used regex from @Cunning's answer, please try mine :) – Tomasz Kowalczyk Nov 20 '16 at 19:32
@user7133318 please try the example on Regexr: http://regexr.com/3en33 . – Tomasz Kowalczyk Nov 20 '16 at 19:34
Ok I have preg_match("/(?:\*\*link$([^$]+)\))/g", $text3, $match2); but i still get the Unknown modifier 'g' in... error and i remove g and it gives me ////www.arduino.cc/ why the slashes i do not know. – user7133318 Nov 20 '16 at 19:42
What version of PHP do you use? `g` is pretty standard PCRE modifier... – Tomasz Kowalczyk Nov 20 '16 at 19:43
I am using php 5.5 – user7133318 Nov 20 '16 at 19:44
Oh yes, you're using `preg_match()` that returns only a single match. Remove `g` or use `preg_match_all()` and you'll be fine. See also: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3578671/unknown-modifier-g-in-when-using-preg-match-in-php – Tomasz Kowalczyk Nov 20 '16 at 19:46
i tried using preg_match_all("/(?:\*\*link$([^$]+)\))/g", $text3, $match2); but it gives me same error – user7133318 Nov 20 '16 at 19:47
See my updated answer, I included whole code sample for you. – Tomasz Kowalczyk Nov 20 '16 at 19:52
I finally go it to work so thanks. And one last thing if you happen to how can i add the following characters to this expression: '/[^A-Za-z0-9-.: ]/' I want to add these characters to this expression: ?!"','#()*&$ how can i do that do you know? – user7133318 Nov 20 '16 at 20:32

Tala · Answer 3 · 2016-11-20T19:55:14.860

0

Use a lookbehind operator ?<= (?<=\*\*link)$(.*)$ gives you what's inside braces if the text behind is **link

Update:

Here's a PHP example

Here's a regex example

edited Nov 20 '16 at 19:55

answered Nov 20 '16 at 19:27

Tala

909
10
29

it says Unknown modifier '\' – user7133318 Nov 20 '16 at 19:30
If you are yousing double quotes for string literal, use `\\` instead of `\`. In double quotes `\` is the escape character. – Tala Nov 20 '16 at 19:34
i misunderstand, this is what i have what is wrong with it, preg_match("(?<=\*\*link)$(.*)$", $text3, $match2); – user7133318 Nov 20 '16 at 19:36
I have updated the answer to include working examples of PHP and standalone regex. see the difference in methods resulting to `$match1` and `$match2` are the string literal definition (double vs single quote). – Tala Nov 20 '16 at 19:57

PHP preg_match exact match and get whats inside brackets

3 Answers3