preg_replace and text with spaces

kansaschuck

I'm stuck on a how to handle simple spaces with in the pattern match code of preg_replace.

Heres the old code:

$clipuscaption = preg_replace('/(?<=PIX-FLIX)\b.*/is', '', $uscaption);

the match was Pix-Flix is now, rather than a single string of character, text with spaces.

'This picture was sent using Picture....'

not having luck with the escape character '\'.

Thanks

Kudose

Can you please provide an example of the text you are parsing and what you want to extract from it?

NogDog

If the question is how to indicate regular space characters in the regex, you can just use a space -- it does not need to be escaped (unless you use the '/x' modifier and the space is not within a character class). You can also use the special '\s' escape sequence to indicate any white-space character (space, tab, newline, carrieage-return).

kansaschuck

For clarification:

The goal of the code is to find where the extra phone message text begins (it's added by verizon) and delete from there to end of file (replace with ''). But there is going to be some users message of value before that, then followed by a rather long advertisment, links, etc. The message that needs deleted begins (but continues on for 6 long sentences) with:

This message was sent using the Picture and Video Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!

The code below works but starts when finding the word 'This'. But I'd like to be more specific and insist it find more such as 'This message was sent' because it's possible for the user message to contain the word 'This'.

When I attempt to update the code below with more that just 'This', it stops working. (no text is removed)

Running code:

//--------------------  Clean up Caption for Verizon -------------------------------
$clipuscaption = preg_replace('/(?<=This)\b.*/is','', $uscaption);

unsuccessful alterations:

//--------------------  Clean up Caption for Verizon -------------------------------
$clipuscaption = preg_replace('/(?<='This message was')\b.*/is','', $uscaption);

unsuccessful alteration 2:

//--------------------  Clean up Caption for Verizon -------------------------------
$clipuscaption = preg_replace('/(?<=This message was)\b.*/is','', $uscaption);

Thanks!

Kudose

<?php
  $string = "Hello World!  This message was sent using the Picture and Video Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!";
  $regex = "#This message was sent.*Wireless!#i";

  echo "Before: $string<br />";
  echo 'After: '.preg_replace($regex, '', $string);
?>

Weedpacket

Methinks that, unless I'm missing something, you're overanalysing this

$advertising_slug = "This message was sent using the Picture and Video Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!";

$string = "Hello World! This message was sent using the Picture and Video Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!";

if(($advertising_position = strpos($string, $advertising_slug)!==false)
    $string = rtrim(substr($string, 0, $advertising_position));

Kudose

Methinks Weedpacket is teh man