Replace Markdown-like links with HTML links in a string

Question

I have a strings of the form

"Look at this [website]{http://www.stackoverflow.com} 
or at this [page]{http://www.google.com}"

and I want to parse them with PHP to

"Look at this <a href='http://wwwstackoverflow.com'>website</a> 
or at this <a href='http://www.google.com'>page</a>"

How can I do this?

I though about using str_replace()but I dont know how to get the string between the brackets [].

Edit[26.08.2016]: The answer uses the PHP preg_replace method with Regular Expression. I didnt understand the given answer here, but it worked so I was happy But now I found this free tutorial that teaches you how to use Regular Expression. I found it very helpful. Especially when one wants to wrtie his own Regular Expression for a similar case.

Use this. Don't reinvent the wheel. Note: the syntax is slightly different for links. — Script47
– Script47, Commented Jun 28, 2016 at 14:03
@Script47: This isn't quite markdown syntax. Links are [Title](http://example.com). He'd have to replace the {} with () to use that. — gen_Eric
– gen_Eric, Commented Jun 28, 2016 at 14:04
@Script47 Unfortunately it's not quite Markdown. Adam, how about you actually do use an existing markup language? — deceze
– deceze ♦, Commented Jun 28, 2016 at 14:05

Chetan Ameta · Accepted Answer · 2016-06-28 14:14:20Z

12

try it with preg_replace

$str="Look at this [website]{http://www.stackoverflow.com} or at this [page]{http://www.google.com}";

echo preg_replace('/\[(.*?)\]\{(.*?)\}/', "<a href='$2'>$1</a>", $str);

output:

Look at this <a href='http://www.stackoverflow.com'>website</a> or at this <a href='http://www.google.com'>page</a>

working Example: https://3v4l.org/jLbff

answered Jun 28, 2016 at 14:14

Chetan Ameta

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CarlosCarucce · Accepted Answer · 2016-06-28 14:15:14Z

1

This can be made easily by using preg_replace:

$pattern = "/(\\[([^\\]]+)\\]\\{([^\\}]+)\\})/";
$replacement = '<a href="$3">$2</a>';
$finalStr = preg_replace($pattern, $replacement, $yourString);

answered Jun 28, 2016 at 14:15

CarlosCarucce

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