Php preg_match_all does not behave as expected

Question

Trying to capture all text between tags.

Code:

$test = '<test>foo<tests> asdlkfjklas lkflsdakj <test>sdfsd<tests> asdlkaskl <test>235234<tests>';

$match = '/<test>(.*)<tests>/';

preg_match_all($match, $test, $nextLink);

Result of print_r:

Array ( [0] => Array ( [0] => foo asdlkfjklas lkflsdakj sdfsd asdlkaskl 235234 ) [1] => Array ( [0] => foo asdlkfjklas lkflsdakj sdfsd asdlkaskl 235234 ) )

Doesn't the result include all the `` and `` in between everything? — Barmar, Apr 14 '17 at 02:00
Use View Source to see what it actually returned, because the browser is hiding the things that look like HTML tags. — Barmar, Apr 14 '17 at 02:01

diavolic · Answer 1 · 2017-04-14T01:58:47.627

2

your regex syntax is greedy. use folowing:

 $match = '/<test>(.*?)<tests>/';

edited Apr 14 '17 at 01:58

answered Apr 14 '17 at 01:58

diavolic

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Thanks! But why?? Sorry, not the best with regex! – Hunter S Apr 14 '17 at 02:01
@HunterS Read the tutorial, and pay special attention to the part about greediness: http://www.regular-expressions.info/repeat.html – Barmar Apr 14 '17 at 02:02

Php preg_match_all does not behave as expected

1 Answers1