Perl regex using array as search items

Question

I am trying to search a file for a given word and return the whole line.

If i specifically define the word such as below, it works perfectly however I want to use a array of keywords that can be used for the regex how would I go about doing this?

The keywords used are from a text file stored as

Hello
Cat
Dog

They are called using the code:

$words = '/computer/textfile';       
open(WORDS, $words);                
@wordarray =  <WORDS>;

This works:

while($line = <FILE>) {   
    if($line =~ /Hello/) {
        print "$line\n";
    }
}

This does not work:

while($line = <FILE>) {
    if($line =~ @wordarray) {
        print "$line\n";
    }
}

pts · Accepted Answer · 2014-12-27 21:03:33Z

4

if($line =~ /foo|bar|baz/)

or

my @kwarray = qw(foo bar baz);
my $keywords_re = join('|', map { quotemeta $_ } @kwarray);
...
if($line =~ /$keywords_re/o)

edited Dec 27, 2014 at 21:03

answered Dec 26, 2014 at 22:47

pts

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4 Comments

user3423572 Over a year ago

Thanks, I implemented your example but the problem I have is that I cant use multiple keywords, a single keyword works fine. but i cant do multiple as it is treated as a single string. I planned to use multiple keywords which is why im using an array.

pts Over a year ago

My solution indeed does work with multiple keywords (foo, bar and baz): if any of them match $line, the if body will be executed. Do you need something else?

Dave Sherohman Over a year ago

@pts: The array example won't work as originally posted because it joins the keywords with ' ' instead of '|'. Fix that typo and it should work for the OP.

user557597 Over a year ago

@user3423572 - Actually, won't work at all the way you are going to use it.

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