Preg_replace doesn't work when the string contains numbers

Question

So i have a string with flags like this: <<-- name -->> and now I want to replace all of them for ''.

I made the following function:

function removeFlags($output) {
    $output = preg_replace('/\<<--[^-->>]+-->>/', '', $output);
    return $output;
}

It works fine for the most flags but not when they contain numbers. For example: <<-- Model -->> will just be replaced for '', but <<-- 360 -->> will not be removed.

What am I doing wrong?

codisfy · Accepted Answer · 2016-02-29 10:25:26Z

2

This should work for you, as you want to replace anything that is preceded and succeeded by a certain pattern

$output = preg_replace('/\<<--.+?-->>/', '', $output);

And I think your pattern should have worked for numbers as well, but do the numbers have a space before and after them?

answered Feb 29, 2016 at 10:25

codisfy

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2 Comments

Wouter den Ouden Over a year ago

Thanks. It does indeed.

Wouter den Ouden Over a year ago

It has a space before it or a _

bobble bubble · Accepted Answer · 2016-02-29 14:31:10Z

1

The hyphen - inside a character class indicates a range. You are accidentally negating a range from - to > which contains digits 0-9 so it can not match <<-- 360 -->>

To match a hyphen literally, put it at start or end of the class or escape it with a backslash.
Also you need to add only one of the different characters to the character class.

<<--[^>-]+-->>

See demo at regex101

edited Feb 29, 2016 at 14:31

answered Feb 29, 2016 at 10:37

bobble bubble

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3 Comments

bobble bubble Over a year ago

@LarsVelthuis That's no reason why I should not point out the problem : )

Wouter den Ouden Over a year ago

Thanks. It gives me a better understanding of how preg_replace works.

Peter VARGA Over a year ago

@LarsVelthuis I find this answer very helpful and as bobble bubble writes it points out the root of the problem why the pattern did not work.

Peter VARGA · Accepted Answer · 2016-03-01 10:55:43Z

1

This pattern works:

$output = preg_replace('/\<<--[^.]+-->>/', '', $output);

edited Mar 1, 2016 at 10:55

answered Feb 29, 2016 at 10:29

Peter VARGA

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