replace functions - which one and why?

[sid]

ok... i mainly user eregi_replace() for replacement operations...

now im not all certain, when i should prefer srt_replace() or any other replace function (preg_replace()...)

can someone maybe help me out, understanding, which one is better/faster for what purpose? thanks a lot!

[nightowl]

str_replace is much simpler - doesn't allow the usage of complicated ereg expressions, AFAIK. will probably be faster too, as it is simpler.

from the manual :

This function (str_replace) returns a string or an array with all occurences of search in subject replaced with the given replace value. If you don't need fancy replacing rules, you should always use this function instead of ereg_replace() or preg_replace().

[mrmufin]

For simple replacements, like changing 'apples' to 'oranges', the str_replace() function is generally going to be the fastest.

However, many replacements involve matching complex patterns; in which case, preg_replace() is usually faster than ereg_replace().

[sid]

thanks a lot - thats pretty much what i figured... i still didnt totally understand preg_replace() - on the other hand, i didnt really work my way all the way throu its doc either.