PHP preg_match_all not working as expecteded

Question

Here's my code,

$msg = "{yellow:red} ERROR:  {blue:light_grey}";
$pattern = "/{(.*)}/";
$a = preg_match_all($pattern, $msg, $regex);

I'm expecting the following 2 matches:

{yellow:red}
{blue:light_grey}

But my result is:

Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [0] => {yellow:red} ERROR:  {blue:light_grey}
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [0] => yellow:red} ERROR:  {blue:light_grey
        )

)

Any ideas what's wrong?

2

Keyword - greedy search. – u_mulder Sep 30 '20 at 12:47

Michal Drozd · Accepted Answer · 2020-09-30T12:49:57.150

0

I would change regular to this:

{([^}]*)}

If you want also include {} then

({[^}]*})

edited Sep 30 '20 at 12:49

answered Sep 30 '20 at 12:49

Michal Drozd

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Do or do not. There is no "try". A ***good answer*** will always have an explanation of what was done and why it was done in such a manner, not only for the OP but for future visitors to SO. – Jay Blanchard Sep 30 '20 at 12:49

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 30 '20 at 12:55

The regex of your desire should be: ({[^}]*}).

$msg = "{yellow:red} ERROR:  {blue:light_grey}";
$pattern = "({[^}]*})";
$a = preg_match_all($pattern, $msg, $regex);

( - The parantheses captures a group
{ - matches the character { literally (case sensitive)
[^ - Match a single character not present in the list
* - Matches between zero and unlimited times, in this scenario everything between the given characters. In this scenario: { }

PHP preg_match_all not working as expecteded

2 Answers2