How do I replace text with a linebreak using regular expressions

Question

I have written a program that searches for 'opens' without matching 'closes' in a target file. It produces an output like this:

open
close
open
open
close

In this example here the second 'open' is not immediately followed by a matching 'close', so I consider that an error. My text-editor (editpad) has a regular-expression search/replace feature, which I would like to use to get rid of all correct pairs, so I can notice easily the incorrect situations. I tried replacing the following

open\r\nclose

I thought that this would match the two words and the line-break between them (I'm using Windows). This did not work.

Does anyone have an idea why it didn't?

Are there any trailing spaces between them? Have you tried using regex to just search for \r\n to see if it picks it up what's between them at all? — Nanhydrin, Sep 12 '18 at 10:30
Did you select the `Regex` mode? Click `Regex` and then hit `Replace all` — Wiktor Stribiżew, Sep 12 '18 at 10:36
BTW, is the expected result just a single `open` left in the document? — Wiktor Stribiżew, Sep 12 '18 at 10:42
It can't work if OP does not select a regex search and replace mode and line endings are CRLF. — Wiktor Stribiżew, Sep 14 '18 at 07:06

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 12 '18 at 11:18

1

If you select the Regex mode, your regex will work, but I also suggest making \r optional by appending ? after it to support LF endings, too:

open\r?\nclose

See the screenshot with settings and proof it works in EditPad:

answered Sep 12 '18 at 11:18

Wiktor Stribiżew

607,720
39
448
563

It would be interesting whether `open\Rclose` works, as that would capture all kind of line endings. – Joop Eggen Sep 12 '18 at 11:47
1

@JoopEggen That was the first thing I tried and it did not work. The `\R` is highlighted red signalling wrong syntax. – Wiktor Stribiżew Sep 12 '18 at 11:48

How do I replace text with a linebreak using regular expressions

1 Answers1