Word Regular Expressions: zero or more occurences?

tinfanide · #1 09-15-2015, 08:35 PM

C
C1

C2
CA

Code:

[A-Z]{1}[0-9]{0,1}
[A-Z]{1}[0-9]*
[A-Z]{1}[0-9]?

The above three still cannot find "C", but only "C1" and "C2".
Is there anything wrong with the use of * and ?
It seems that {0,1} is a wrong use.

macropod · #2 09-15-2015, 08:59 PM

If you consider what '0 or more occurrences' means, in the context of looking for [A-Z]{1} followed by '0 or more occurrences' of [0-9], that's really no different than looking for [A-Z]*; after all, '0 or more occurrences' means you don't really care whether there are any of [0-9] after [A-Z].

tinfanide · #3 09-15-2015, 09:06 PM

Maybe I should have put it more clearly.

I want to find

C
C1
C2

but not

CA

If Find What: [A-Z]*
it returns C, C1, C2 and CA (which is not wanted).

macropod · #4 09-15-2015, 09:35 PM

Try:
<[A-Z][!A-Za-z.,\!:;^13]{1,}
Note that the 'C' match per your example will include the following space, if there is one, but it won't match 'C' followed by any of !:;^13.

tinfanide · #5 09-16-2015, 06:09 AM

Quote:

The construction {0,} (find zero or more of the preceding item) is refused as incorrect syntax. This concept is available in Unix regular expression matching, so it's a curious omission.

From:
http://word.mvps.org/faqs/general/usingwildcards.htm

It states that zero or more occurences is rejected by Word as incorrect syntax and thus not available in Word Find & Replace.

And,

Your codes cannot find "C".

macropod · #6 09-16-2015, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinfanide

Your codes cannot find "C".

I did say it would find 'C ' (it will also find 'C.' and 'C,'), but not 'C!', 'C:' 'C;' or 'C^13'. A document cannot have 'C' (i.e. C with nothing after it)...

tinfanide · #7 09-16-2015, 03:13 PM

Yes, I got it. Thanks.

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