Possible RegEx error in Sigil (minimal match being ignored)

KarlG · Today, 09:45 AM

Hello,

I'm trying to delete all 'span' tags with no content (i.e. (nothing here) by using the following RegEx (with minimal match enabled)



Here is some example text which shouldn't match anything

<hgroup><h2 class="CHAPTER" id="ch1"><samp class="SANS_Futura_Std_Bold_Condensed_B_11">1</samp> <samp class="SANS_Dogma_OT_Bold_B_11">WINDOWS FOUNDATIONAL CONCEPTS</samp></h2></hgroup>

As we can see, there are no span tags without content. Running this RegEx however matches the following text (as can be seen in the attached screenshot)
<samp class="SANS_Futura_Std_Bold_Condensed_B_11">1</samp>

Is there anything I have missed, or is this indeed an error?

Rgds

Karl

Doitsu · Today, 11:29 AM

The .* in your regular expression also matches other tags. The following expression should work:

Code:

<span[^>]*></span>

KarlG · Today, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doitsu

The .* in your regular expression also matches other tags. The following expression should work:

Code:

<span[^>]*></span>

But surely when 'minimal match' is selected, the search should also stop with the first '>'.?

DiapDealer · Today, 01:02 PM

Nope. Minimal Match can't affect the inherent greediness of *.

At least I don't recall it doing so in the past.

KarlG · Today, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Nope. Minimal Match can't affect the inherent greediness of *.

At least I don't recall it doing so in the past.

Hmm, maybe confusion on my part here then.

So what IS 'minimal match' for then, and what's the option (if there is one) for a non-greedy RegEx in Sigil?

DiapDealer · Today, 01:29 PM

Doitsu's regex was an example of a non-greedy search. But let me do some investigation. I don't really use the Minimal Match option, so there could be a problem with it. I don't want to be too nasty in dismissing what might be a bug.

KevinH · Today, 01:38 PM

If you have the check box for Text set it uses its own Minimal Match flag, which simply toggles its meaning.

Today, 09:45 AM	#1
KarlG Connoisseur Posts: 55 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2024 Device: none	Possible RegEx error in Sigil (minimal match being ignored) Hello, I'm trying to delete all 'span' tags with no content (i.e. <span blah blah>(nothing here)</span> by using the following RegEx (with minimal match enabled) <span .></span> Here is some example text which shouldn't match anything <hgroup><h2 class="CHAPTER" id="ch1"><span class="CN"><samp class="SANS_Futura_Std_Bold_Condensed_B_11">1</samp></span> <span class="CT"><samp class="SANS_Dogma_OT_Bold_B_11">WINDOWS FOUNDATIONAL CONCEPTS</samp></span></h2></hgroup> As we can see, there are no span tags without content. Running this RegEx however matches the following text (as can be seen in the attached screenshot) <span class="CN"><samp class="SANS_Futura_Std_Bold_Condensed_B_11">1</samp></span>* Is there anything I have missed, or is this indeed an error? Rgds Karl Attached Thumbnails

Today, 11:29 AM	#2
Doitsu Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,629 Karma: 23190435 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Kindle PW2	The .* in your regular expression also matches other tags. The following expression should work: Code: <span[^>]*></span>

Today, 01:02 PM	#4
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 27,781 Karma: 198099188 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Nope. Minimal Match can't affect the inherent greediness of . At least I don't recall it doing so in the past. Last edited by DiapDealer; Today at 01:07 PM.*

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
match an empty line with a regex?	lumpynose	Sigil	5	05-29-2019 03:03 AM
REGEX match everything before #	JLius	ePub	2	01-08-2017 04:25 PM
[Regex Search] Minimal match not possible?	nqk	Editor	7	12-24-2014 03:19 AM
how to have regex dot match any character including newline?	gnychis	Calibre	5	11-30-2010 06:35 PM
Need help with a conversion regex - can't match newline	ereader123	Calibre	2	03-29-2010 10:58 AM

Today, 01:29 PM	#6
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 27,781 Karma: 198099188 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Doitsu's regex was an example of a non-greedy search. But let me do some investigation. I don't really use the Minimal Match option, so there could be a problem with it. I don't want to be too nasty in dismissing what might be a bug.

Today, 01:38 PM	#7
KevinH Sigil Developer Posts: 7,950 Karma: 5449552 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: many	If you have the check box for Text set it uses its own Minimal Match flag, which simply toggles its meaning.

Advert

Advert