Regexp to match multi-line string

Question

I have this regexp:

^(?<FOOTER_TYPE>[ a-zA-Z0-9-]+)?(?<SEPARATOR>:)?(?<FOOTER>(?<=:)(.|[\r\n](?![\r\n]))*)?

Which I'm using to match text like:

BREAKING CHANGE: test
my multiline
string.

This is not matched

However, why is there the last Group 4 ?

Make it non-capturing, See demo: https://regex101.com/r/gGroPK/2 — anubhava, Mar 27 '20 at 19:57
@anubhava oh my... Well, thanks! Feel free to post an answer and I'll give you the points. — LppEdd, Mar 27 '20 at 20:00

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 27 '20 at 20:01

it is group 4 because the fourth parentheses you defined is: (.|[\r\n](?![\r\n]))*) it translate to

"either dot, or the following regex"

and in the example you have, it ends on a dot.

string.

so as regex is usually greedy, it captures dot as the forth group

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 27 '20 at 20:02

0

You will need to make last group non-capturing:

^(?<FOOTER_TYPE>[ a-zA-Z0-9-]+)?(?<SEPARATOR>:)?(?<FOOTER>(?<=:)(?:.|[\r\n](?![\r\n]))*)?

Make note of:

(?:.|[\r\n](?![\r\n]))*)?

(?: at the start makes this optional group non-capturing.

answered Mar 27 '20 at 20:02

anubhava

2 Answers2