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revision 211 by ph10, Thu Aug 9 09:52:43 2007 UTC revision 507 by ph10, Wed Mar 10 16:08:01 2010 UTC
# Line 24  man page, in case the conversion went wr Line 24  man page, in case the conversion went wr
24  <P>  <P>
25  The PCRE library is a set of functions that implement regular expression  The PCRE library is a set of functions that implement regular expression
26  pattern matching using the same syntax and semantics as Perl, with just a few  pattern matching using the same syntax and semantics as Perl, with just a few
27  differences. (Certain features that appeared in Python and PCRE before they  differences. Some features that appeared in Python and PCRE before they
28  appeared in Perl are also available using the Python syntax.)  appeared in Perl are also available using the Python syntax, there is some
29    support for one or two .NET and Oniguruma syntax items, and there is an option
30    for requesting some minor changes that give better JavaScript compatibility.
31  </P>  </P>
32  <P>  <P>
33  The current implementation of PCRE (release 7.x) corresponds approximately with  The current implementation of PCRE corresponds approximately with Perl 5.10,
34  Perl 5.10, including support for UTF-8 encoded strings and Unicode general  including support for UTF-8 encoded strings and Unicode general category
35  category properties. However, UTF-8 and Unicode support has to be explicitly  properties. However, UTF-8 and Unicode support has to be explicitly enabled; it
36  enabled; it is not the default. The Unicode tables correspond to Unicode  is not the default. The Unicode tables correspond to Unicode release 5.2.0.
 release 5.0.0.  
37  </P>  </P>
38  <P>  <P>
39  In addition to the Perl-compatible matching function, PCRE contains an  In addition to the Perl-compatible matching function, PCRE contains an
40  alternative matching function that matches the same compiled patterns in a  alternative function that matches the same compiled patterns in a different
41  different way. In certain circumstances, the alternative function has some  way. In certain circumstances, the alternative function has some advantages.
42  advantages. For a discussion of the two matching algorithms, see the  For a discussion of the two matching algorithms, see the
43  <a href="pcrematching.html"><b>pcrematching</b></a>  <a href="pcrematching.html"><b>pcrematching</b></a>
44  page.  page.
45  </P>  </P>
# Line 70  function makes it possible for a client Line 71  function makes it possible for a client
71  available. The features themselves are described in the  available. The features themselves are described in the
72  <a href="pcrebuild.html"><b>pcrebuild</b></a>  <a href="pcrebuild.html"><b>pcrebuild</b></a>
73  page. Documentation about building PCRE for various operating systems can be  page. Documentation about building PCRE for various operating systems can be
74  found in the <b>README</b> file in the source distribution.  found in the <b>README</b> and <b>NON-UNIX-USE</b> files in the source
75    distribution.
76  </P>  </P>
77  <P>  <P>
78  The library contains a number of undocumented internal functions and data  The library contains a number of undocumented internal functions and data
# Line 86  not exported. Line 88  not exported.
88  The user documentation for PCRE comprises a number of different sections. In  The user documentation for PCRE comprises a number of different sections. In
89  the "man" format, each of these is a separate "man page". In the HTML format,  the "man" format, each of these is a separate "man page". In the HTML format,
90  each is a separate page, linked from the index page. In the plain text format,  each is a separate page, linked from the index page. In the plain text format,
91  all the sections are concatenated, for ease of searching. The sections are as  all the sections, except the <b>pcredemo</b> section, are concatenated, for ease
92  follows:  of searching. The sections are as follows:
93  <pre>  <pre>
94    pcre              this document    pcre              this document
95    pcre-config       show PCRE installation configuration information    pcre-config       show PCRE installation configuration information
# Line 96  follows: Line 98  follows:
98    pcrecallout       details of the callout feature    pcrecallout       details of the callout feature
99    pcrecompat        discussion of Perl compatibility    pcrecompat        discussion of Perl compatibility
100    pcrecpp           details of the C++ wrapper    pcrecpp           details of the C++ wrapper
101      pcredemo          a demonstration C program that uses PCRE
102    pcregrep          description of the <b>pcregrep</b> command    pcregrep          description of the <b>pcregrep</b> command
103    pcrematching      discussion of the two matching algorithms    pcrematching      discussion of the two matching algorithms
104    pcrepartial       details of the partial matching facility    pcrepartial       details of the partial matching facility
105    pcrepattern       syntax and semantics of supported regular expressions    pcrepattern       syntax and semantics of supported regular expressions
   pcresyntax        quick syntax reference  
106    pcreperform       discussion of performance issues    pcreperform       discussion of performance issues
107    pcreposix         the POSIX-compatible C API    pcreposix         the POSIX-compatible C API
108    pcreprecompile    details of saving and re-using precompiled patterns    pcreprecompile    details of saving and re-using precompiled patterns
109    pcresample        discussion of the sample program    pcresample        discussion of the pcredemo program
110    pcrestack         discussion of stack usage    pcrestack         discussion of stack usage
111      pcresyntax        quick syntax reference
112    pcretest          description of the <b>pcretest</b> testing command    pcretest          description of the <b>pcretest</b> testing command
113  </pre>  </pre>
114  In addition, in the "man" and HTML formats, there is a short page for each  In addition, in the "man" and HTML formats, there is a short page for each
# Line 158  category properties was added. Line 161  category properties was added.
161  In order process UTF-8 strings, you must build PCRE to include UTF-8 support in  In order process UTF-8 strings, you must build PCRE to include UTF-8 support in
162  the code, and, in addition, you must call  the code, and, in addition, you must call
163  <a href="pcre_compile.html"><b>pcre_compile()</b></a>  <a href="pcre_compile.html"><b>pcre_compile()</b></a>
164  with the PCRE_UTF8 option flag. When you do this, both the pattern and any  with the PCRE_UTF8 option flag, or the pattern must start with the sequence
165  subject strings that are matched against it are treated as UTF-8 strings  (*UTF8). When either of these is the case, both the pattern and any subject
166  instead of just strings of bytes.  strings that are matched against it are treated as UTF-8 strings instead of
167    strings of 1-byte characters.
168  </P>  </P>
169  <P>  <P>
170  If you compile PCRE with UTF-8 support, but do not use it at run time, the  If you compile PCRE with UTF-8 support, but do not use it at run time, the
# Line 256  digits, spaces, or word characters remai Line 260  digits, spaces, or word characters remai
260  values less than 256. This remains true even when PCRE includes Unicode  values less than 256. This remains true even when PCRE includes Unicode
261  property support, because to do otherwise would slow down PCRE in many common  property support, because to do otherwise would slow down PCRE in many common
262  cases. If you really want to test for a wider sense of, say, "digit", you  cases. If you really want to test for a wider sense of, say, "digit", you
263  must use Unicode property tests such as \p{Nd}.  must use Unicode property tests such as \p{Nd}. Note that this also applies to
264    \b, because it is defined in terms of \w and \W.
265  </P>  </P>
266  <P>  <P>
267  7. Similarly, characters that match the POSIX named character classes are all  7. Similarly, characters that match the POSIX named character classes are all
# Line 293  two digits 10, at the domain cam.ac.uk. Line 298  two digits 10, at the domain cam.ac.uk.
298  </P>  </P>
299  <br><a name="SEC6" href="#TOC1">REVISION</a><br>  <br><a name="SEC6" href="#TOC1">REVISION</a><br>
300  <P>  <P>
301  Last updated: 09 August 2007  Last updated: 01 March 2010
302  <br>  <br>
303  Copyright &copy; 1997-2007 University of Cambridge.  Copyright &copy; 1997-2010 University of Cambridge.
304  <br>  <br>
305  <p>  <p>
306  Return to the <a href="index.html">PCRE index page</a>.  Return to the <a href="index.html">PCRE index page</a>.
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