php preg_replace string extract

Question

Original regexp:

$str = '"foo" <[email protected]>';
preg_replace('/\s(<.*?>)|"/', '', $str);

I would like to extract the following:

"foo" <[email protected]> extract only => foo
<[email protected]>       extract only => <[email protected]>
"" <[email protected]>    extract only => <[email protected]>

Thanks

can you clarify what you are actually trying to do here? because if you are trying to get the value, preg_replace() isn't really the right function for that... — CrayonViolent
– CrayonViolent, Commented May 4, 2011 at 14:08

CrayonViolent · Accepted Answer · 2011-05-04 14:26:09Z

3

Okay, so it looks like you are wanting to get a value, rather than replace a value, so you should be using preg_match, not preg_replace (though technically you could use preg_replace in a round-about way...)

preg_match('~(?:"([^"]*)")?\s*(.*)~',$str,$match);
$var = ($match[1])? $match[1] : $match[2];

answered May 4, 2011 at 14:26

CrayonViolent

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Justin Morgan · Accepted Answer · 2011-05-04 14:21:10Z

0

You need to require something inside the quotes when you do the replace.

$str = '"foo" <[email protected]>';
preg_replace('/"([^"]+)"\s(<.*?>)/', '$1', $str);
preg_replace('/""\s(<.*?>)/', '$1', $str);

Try that. It should leave the address alone if there's no quoted name before it.

Edit: Based on your new example inputs and outputs, try this:

$str = '"foo" <[email protected]>';
preg_replace('/"([^"]+)"\s(<.*?>)/', '$1', $str);
preg_replace('/(?:""\s)?(<.*?>)/', '$1', $str);

It should have the following input/output results:

"foo" <[email protected]>  -> foo
"" <[email protected]>     -> <[email protected]>
<[email protected]>        -> <[email protected]>

edited May 4, 2011 at 14:21

answered May 4, 2011 at 14:05

Justin Morgan

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5 Comments

Mike Darrow Over a year ago

is there a way to extract the name only if between quotes, and not both?

Justin Morgan Over a year ago

@Mike - Not sure I understand. Could you explain what you mean by that? The above code should turn "foo" <[email protected]> into foo, and "" <[email protected]> into <[email protected]>.

CrayonViolent Over a year ago

you should be using preg_match instead of preg_replace...I mean yah it "works" but that's not really what preg_replace was designed for..

Justin Morgan Over a year ago

@Crayon - Depends on what he's trying to do. I could go either way with it, especially since preg_replace works without too much difficulty. If you want a one-liner, it's a job for preg_match or preg_replace_callback. Many roads to the same place. :)

CrayonViolent Over a year ago

@Mike: Yes, like I said, it "works". But why take the long and winding path over the straight?

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