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| author | Georg Brandl <georg@python.org> | 2016-04-12 07:51:41 +0200 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Georg Brandl <georg@python.org> | 2016-04-12 07:51:41 +0200 |
| commit | 4d402f49a454af5f5da3f8a3e3c47b58ba0e6afb (patch) | |
| tree | 721a6d973288cc8583b4c88241a8a541d364b534 /Doc/library | |
| parent | 23829a71e6c7188673ab433ccef0581f85b7313d (diff) | |
| download | cpython-4d402f49a454af5f5da3f8a3e3c47b58ba0e6afb.tar.gz | |
Clarify greedy-qualifier example, avoid HTML.
Diffstat (limited to 'Doc/library')
| -rw-r--r-- | Doc/library/re.rst | 8 |
1 files changed, 4 insertions, 4 deletions
diff --git a/Doc/library/re.rst b/Doc/library/re.rst index 75059cda7c..1df768c328 100644 --- a/Doc/library/re.rst +++ b/Doc/library/re.rst @@ -113,11 +113,11 @@ The special characters are: ``*?``, ``+?``, ``??`` The ``'*'``, ``'+'``, and ``'?'`` qualifiers are all :dfn:`greedy`; they match as much text as possible. Sometimes this behaviour isn't desired; if the RE - ``<.*>`` is matched against ``'<H1>title</H1>'``, it will match the entire - string, and not just ``'<H1>'``. Adding ``'?'`` after the qualifier makes it + ``<.*>`` is matched against ``<a> b <c>``, it will match the entire + string, and not just ``<a>``. Adding ``?`` after the qualifier makes it perform the match in :dfn:`non-greedy` or :dfn:`minimal` fashion; as *few* - characters as possible will be matched. Using ``.*?`` in the previous - expression will match only ``'<H1>'``. + characters as possible will be matched. Using the RE ``<.*?>`` will match + only ``<a>``. ``{m}`` Specifies that exactly *m* copies of the previous RE should be matched; fewer |