Find and replace

Mr_Jezz

Hi, this has probably been covered in some form or another but I cannot seem to find anything that works.

Basically all I want to do is locate anything in a string that starts with [extract] and ends with [/extract] and replace with something else, for example I may replace the [extract]example[/extract] with <div>example</div> - anything in between these tags would be a wildcard.

I figure I'd be using preg_replace() but I cannot seem to get anything working correctly.

Any input would be greatly recieved.

laserlight

Yes, preg_replace() would fit the bill. What have you tried?

EDIT:
By the way, if you are trying to write a bbcode parser, it may be worthwhile to see if you can use the bbcode extension.

Mr_Jezz

$comment = preg_replace("/([quote])(.*)([\/quote])/eis", "test", $comment);

Rather than 'extract' i've used 'quote', can't do that in first post cos it's BB code.

All the above does is replace the whole comment with test or some rubbish. What I want is to just replace any instance of

[quote]something[/quote]

. Can't seem to get it right.

laserlight

Something like this:

$comment = preg_replace('/\[quote\](.*)\[\/quote\]/i', '<blockquote>$1</blockquote>', $comment);

You may need non-greedy matching with (.*?) instead.

Mr_Jezz

That's better, only problem is that I have the whole comment wrapped in tags. Having applied your example the comment falls outside the closing for some reason.

laserlight

I cannot replicate your problem.

One problem with using my example, even with non-greedy matching, is when the same bbcode element is nested.

Mr_Jezz

It's weird, I should get

<p><blockquote>Joe wrote: This is a test comment</blockquote>

I think I agree but we'll need to look into it further.</p>

But instead I get

<p></p><blockquote>Joe wrote: This is a test comment</blockquote>

I think I agree but we'll need to look into it further.

laserlight

Oh yes, try this instead:

$comment = preg_replace('/\[quote\](.*?)\[\/quote\]/ims', '<blockquote>$1</blockquote>', $comment);

Mr_Jezz

Unfortunately the issue persists. I checked some other browsers and they all match, so it's not browser specific.

The code to display a comment is as follows

$comment = preg_replace('/\[quote\](.*?)\[\/quote\]/ims', '<blockquote>$1</blockquote>', $comment);

$comment_item .= "<li><span>$comment_date<br/>$comment_time</span><p><strong>$commentator</strong> $admin_option<br />$comment</p></li>";

Why the closing would display before $comment I have no clue. Any part of the comment string appearing before the <blockquote></blockquote> appears correctly inside the tags.

laserlight

I tried this script, but I still cannot reproduce your problem:

<?php

$comment = <<<HEREDOC
[quote]Joe wrote: This is a test comment[/quote]

I think I agree but we'll need to look into it further.
HEREDOC;

$comment = preg_replace('/\[quote\](.*?)\[\/quote\]/ims', '<blockquote>$1</blockquote>', $comment);

$comment_date = $comment_time = $commentator = $admin_option = '';

echo "<li><span>$comment_date<br/>$comment_time</span><p><strong>$commentator</strong> $admin_option<br />$comment</p></li>";

Mr_Jezz

Very strange, I used your script and still have the same error, resulting code was

<li><p>This is a test.</p><blockquote>This is a quote</blockquote>Where does this appear?</li>

I've found that if I substitute the word blockquote for something else, 'test' for example the issue is resolved, if i used 'div' the problem persists?!

Mr_Jezz

For some reason the following does not produce the error

$comment = preg_replace('/\[quote\](.*?)\[\/quote\]/ims', '<br/><code>$1</code><br/>', $comment);

I had to add the tags for formatting reasons. However if there is no text before the quote it sticks two tags in for some reason>?! 😕

Mr_Jezz

Have removed the tags and replaced with a div, this work fine with <blockquote></blockquote>.

I don't know why this is, just seems the and <blockquote> won't play nicely together, perhaps it's because they are in a <li></li>?

$comment = preg_replace('/\[quote\](.*?)\[\/quote\]/ims', '<blockquote>$1</blockquote>', $comment);

$comment_item .= "<li><span>$comment_date<br/>$comment_time</span><div class=\"comment_detail\"><strong>$commentator</strong> $admin_option<br />$comment</div></li>";