Wrapping multiple words with HTML tags using RegExp

Question

I'm using RegExp to make some quick replacements in a potentially large set of text. What it's doing is providing a means for syntax highlighting:

var text = 'throw new Error("foo");';
text = text.replace(/(^|\W)(throw|new|Error)(\W|$)/g,'$1<span class="syntax-reserved-word">$2</span>$3');

Problem is, it highlights "throw" and "Error" but skips right over "new". My RegExp specifies beginning of string or non-word, then throw or new or Error, non-word or end of string. So after it finds "^throw ", wouldn't the search position begin at the n in "new", meaning it should match "^new "?

There are plenty of JS syntax highlighters freely available. Are you sure you want to reinvent the wheel? — NullUserException
– NullUserException, Commented Feb 18, 2011 at 17:35

Floern · Accepted Answer · 2011-02-18 17:39:41Z

3

Try \b (word boundary) instead of a non-word-char:

text = text.replace(/\b(throw|new|Error)\b/g,'<span class="syntax-reserved-word">$1</span>');

answered Feb 18, 2011 at 17:39

Floern

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1 Comment

Justin Over a year ago

Bah.. why didn't I think of this!? Works as expected, thanks!

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