Regular Expressions [resolved]

I am trying to learn regular expressions and I have the basics down, but it is a pain. I am trying to parse the code that forums like this use: ie [b ]bold stuff[/b ], but I am having trouble if they go over multiple lines.

Code:

---

Dim linksExpression As Regex
Dim strPattern As String = "\[B ](.+?)\[/B ]"
linksExpression = New Regex(strPattern, RegexOptions.Multiline Or RegexOptions.IgnoreCase)
strTemp = linksExpression.Replace(strTemp, "<b>$1</b>")

---

this works fine if I have it all on one line like [b ]bold stuff[/b ], but if I do
[b ]bold
stuff[/b ], it doesn't work.

Try removing the RegexOptions.Multiline option. That will process each line individually instead of all of the string as one.

Tried that, same thing happens.

Post some sample text to test on and i'll take a gander at it.

Code:

---

Dim linksExpression As Regex
Dim strPattern As String = "\[B ](.+?)\[/B ]"
strTemp = "[B ]bold" & vbCrLf & "this[/B ]"
linksExpression = New Regex(strPattern, RegexOptions.IgnoreCase)
strTemp = linksExpression.Replace(strTemp, "<b>$1</b>")
'strTemp returns what was sent in

Dim linksExpression As Regex
Dim strPattern As String = "\[B ](.+?)\[/B ]"
strTemp = "[B ]bold" & vbCrLf & "this[/B ]"
linksExpression = New Regex(strPattern, RegexOptions.IgnoreCase)
strTemp = linksExpression.Replace(strTemp, "<b>$1</b>")
'strTemp returns <b>bold this</b>

---

I am thinking that I may have to remove the vbCrlf and put in something like <br> and then put it back to VbCrlf at the end.

You have to use the SingleLine option:

VB Code:

Dim strPattern As String = "\[B ](.*)\[/B ]"
        Dim linksExpression As New Regex(strPattern, RegexOptions.IgnoreCase Or RegexOptions.Singleline)
        Dim strTemp As String = "[B ]bold" & vbCrLf & "this[/B ]"
        strTemp = linksExpression.Replace(strTemp, "<b>$1</b>")
        MsgBox(strTemp)

Thanks man! I would never have found that. Documentation on the web is crap for regular expressions in .Net