CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javaregex
Lee Andrew
Lee Andrew

Reputation: 35

Another issue with RegEx in Java

I am going through a RegEx issue... again. Now, i am trying to search the following string:

"< < * < • 1 2 3 > <<0 12345®789>> * * < < 1 2 > <<0 123456<89>>*> >"

The 'rules': The first part: "< < * < "

Will be, as shown: two "<" one "*" and one "<". Between them, there might be from zero to 5 spaces.

The last part: "> > * > >"

Will be, as shown, two ">" one "*" and two ">". Between them, there might be from zero to 5 spaces.

Finally, between the first and last part, "• 1 2 3 > <<0 12345®789>> * * < < 1 2 > <<0 123456<89" can be anything as shown.

I tried this code but it doesnt seem to work:

Pattern.compile("<\\s{0,3}<\\s{0,3}\\*\\s{0,3}<\\s{0,3}.>\\s{0,3}>\\s{0,3}\\*\\s{0,3}>\\s{0,3}>\\s{0,3}");

Any ideas? Kid regards!

Upvotes: 1

Views: 54

Answers (1)

Wiktor Stribiżew
Wiktor Stribiżew

Reputation: 626689

You can use

<\s{0,5}<\s{0,5}\*\s{0,5}<(.*?)>\s{0,5}>\s{0,5}\*\s{0,5}>

See the regex demo.

In Java, define it as

String regex = "<\\s{0,5}<\\s{0,5}\\*\\s{0,5}<(.*?)>\\s{0,5}>\\s{0,5}\\*\\s{0,5}>";

If you plan to match multiple lines between the left and right parts use the Pattern.DOTALL option when compiling the pattern.

Details

  • <\s{0,5}<\s{0,5}\*\s{0,5}< - < < * < with zero to five whitesapces between the symbols allowed
  • (.*?) - Group 1: any zero or more chars as few as possible
  • >\s{0,5}>\s{0,5}\*\s{0,5}> - > > * > substring with zero to five whitesapces between the symbols allowed.

Upvotes: 2

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