Replace character with another only if repeated and not part of a word
In Python3, the following code works to replace a string (two or more) of *'s with x's.
import re
re.sub(r'*(?=*)|(?<=*)*', 'x', 'Replace this *** but not this *')
# 'Replace this xxx but not this *'
But what if I also want to exempt a string of *'s that are part of a "word" like the following? (I.e. the string is attached to one or more [a-zA-Z] characters.)
text = "Don't replace foo*** or **bar, either."
# unmodified text expected
How do I do this? I can probably match the exempted cases as well and use a replacement function to deal with them, but is there a better way?
python regex python-3.x
edited 2 days ago
0m3r
8,02292554
asked 2 days ago
bongbangbongbang
617720
add a comment |
In Python3, the following code works to replace a string (two or more) of *'s with x's.
import re
re.sub(r'*(?=*)|(?<=*)*', 'x', 'Replace this *** but not this *')
# 'Replace this xxx but not this *'
But what if I also want to exempt a string of *'s that are part of a "word" like the following? (I.e. the string is attached to one or more [a-zA-Z] characters.)
text = "Don't replace foo*** or **bar, either."
# unmodified text expected
How do I do this? I can probably match the exempted cases as well and use a replacement function to deal with them, but is there a better way?
python regex python-3.x
edited 2 days ago
0m3r
8,02292554
asked 2 days ago
bongbangbongbang
617720
add a comment |
In Python3, the following code works to replace a string (two or more) of *'s with x's.
import re
re.sub(r'*(?=*)|(?<=*)*', 'x', 'Replace this *** but not this *')
# 'Replace this xxx but not this *'
But what if I also want to exempt a string of *'s that are part of a "word" like the following? (I.e. the string is attached to one or more [a-zA-Z] characters.)
text = "Don't replace foo*** or **bar, either."
# unmodified text expected
How do I do this? I can probably match the exempted cases as well and use a replacement function to deal with them, but is there a better way?
python regex python-3.x
edited 2 days ago
0m3r
8,02292554
asked 2 days ago
bongbangbongbang
617720
In Python3, the following code works to replace a string (two or more) of *'s with x's.
import re
re.sub(r'*(?=*)|(?<=*)*', 'x', 'Replace this *** but not this *')
# 'Replace this xxx but not this *'
But what if I also want to exempt a string of *'s that are part of a "word" like the following? (I.e. the string is attached to one or more [a-zA-Z] characters.)
text = "Don't replace foo*** or **bar, either."
# unmodified text expected
How do I do this? I can probably match the exempted cases as well and use a replacement function to deal with them, but is there a better way?
python regex python-3.x
python regex python-3.x
edited 2 days ago
0m3r
8,02292554
asked 2 days ago
bongbangbongbang
617720
edited 2 days ago
0m3r
8,02292554
asked 2 days ago
bongbangbongbang
617720
edited 2 days ago
0m3r
8,02292554
edited 2 days ago
0m3r
8,02292554
edited 2 days ago
0m3r
8,02292554
8,02292554
asked 2 days ago
bongbangbongbang
617720
asked 2 days ago
bongbangbongbang
617720
asked 2 days ago
bongbangbongbang
617720
617720
add a comment |
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
regex = r"s*{2,}[sn]"
This matches 2 or more * chars, surrounded by whitespace (or ended with a newline)
Call it maybe like this?
regex = r"s*{2,}[sn]"
def replacer(match):
return 'x' * len(match.group())
re.sub(regex, replacer, your_string_here)
answered 2 days ago
Danielle M.Danielle M.
2,2441623
You gave me a good idea for the use of the replacer function, but your pattern, by including the spaces in the match, would seem to turnthis **** stringintothis******string, which is not I want. It would also not replace**** this string, which I do want to replace. That said, I now have a solution that works thanks to you. Thank you.
– bongbang
2 days ago
add a comment |
This answer is inspired Danielle M.'s. This pattern below seems to give me what I want. The rest is the same as hers.
regex = r'(?<![a-zA-Z])*{2,}(?![a-zA-Z])'
answered 2 days ago
bongbangbongbang
617720
add a comment |
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
regex = r"s*{2,}[sn]"
This matches 2 or more * chars, surrounded by whitespace (or ended with a newline)
Call it maybe like this?
regex = r"s*{2,}[sn]"
def replacer(match):
return 'x' * len(match.group())
re.sub(regex, replacer, your_string_here)
answered 2 days ago
Danielle M.Danielle M.
2,2441623
You gave me a good idea for the use of the replacer function, but your pattern, by including the spaces in the match, would seem to turnthis **** stringintothis******string, which is not I want. It would also not replace**** this string, which I do want to replace. That said, I now have a solution that works thanks to you. Thank you.
– bongbang
2 days ago
add a comment |
regex = r"s*{2,}[sn]"
This matches 2 or more * chars, surrounded by whitespace (or ended with a newline)
Call it maybe like this?
regex = r"s*{2,}[sn]"
def replacer(match):
return 'x' * len(match.group())
re.sub(regex, replacer, your_string_here)
answered 2 days ago
Danielle M.Danielle M.
2,2441623
You gave me a good idea for the use of the replacer function, but your pattern, by including the spaces in the match, would seem to turnthis **** stringintothis******string, which is not I want. It would also not replace**** this string, which I do want to replace. That said, I now have a solution that works thanks to you. Thank you.
– bongbang
2 days ago
add a comment |
regex = r"s*{2,}[sn]"
This matches 2 or more * chars, surrounded by whitespace (or ended with a newline)
Call it maybe like this?
regex = r"s*{2,}[sn]"
def replacer(match):
return 'x' * len(match.group())
re.sub(regex, replacer, your_string_here)
answered 2 days ago
Danielle M.Danielle M.
2,2441623
regex = r"s*{2,}[sn]"
This matches 2 or more * chars, surrounded by whitespace (or ended with a newline)
Call it maybe like this?
regex = r"s*{2,}[sn]"
def replacer(match):
return 'x' * len(match.group())
re.sub(regex, replacer, your_string_here)
answered 2 days ago
Danielle M.Danielle M.
2,2441623
answered 2 days ago
Danielle M.Danielle M.
2,2441623
answered 2 days ago
Danielle M.Danielle M.
2,2441623
answered 2 days ago
Danielle M.Danielle M.
2,2441623
2,2441623
You gave me a good idea for the use of the replacer function, but your pattern, by including the spaces in the match, would seem to turnthis **** stringintothis******string, which is not I want. It would also not replace**** this string, which I do want to replace. That said, I now have a solution that works thanks to you. Thank you.
– bongbang
2 days ago
add a comment |
You gave me a good idea for the use of the replacer function, but your pattern, by including the spaces in the match, would seem to turnthis **** stringintothis******string, which is not I want. It would also not replace**** this string, which I do want to replace. That said, I now have a solution that works thanks to you. Thank you.
– bongbang
2 days ago
You gave me a good idea for the use of the replacer function, but your pattern, by including the spaces in the match, would seem to turn
this **** string into this******string, which is not I want. It would also not replace **** this string, which I do want to replace. That said, I now have a solution that works thanks to you. Thank you.– bongbang
2 days ago
You gave me a good idea for the use of the replacer function, but your pattern, by including the spaces in the match, would seem to turn
this **** string into this******string, which is not I want. It would also not replace **** this string, which I do want to replace. That said, I now have a solution that works thanks to you. Thank you.– bongbang
2 days ago
add a comment |
This answer is inspired Danielle M.'s. This pattern below seems to give me what I want. The rest is the same as hers.
regex = r'(?<![a-zA-Z])*{2,}(?![a-zA-Z])'
answered 2 days ago
bongbangbongbang
617720
add a comment |
This answer is inspired Danielle M.'s. This pattern below seems to give me what I want. The rest is the same as hers.
regex = r'(?<![a-zA-Z])*{2,}(?![a-zA-Z])'
answered 2 days ago
bongbangbongbang
617720
add a comment |
This answer is inspired Danielle M.'s. This pattern below seems to give me what I want. The rest is the same as hers.
regex = r'(?<![a-zA-Z])*{2,}(?![a-zA-Z])'
answered 2 days ago
bongbangbongbang
617720
This answer is inspired Danielle M.'s. This pattern below seems to give me what I want. The rest is the same as hers.
regex = r'(?<![a-zA-Z])*{2,}(?![a-zA-Z])'
answered 2 days ago
bongbangbongbang
617720
answered 2 days ago
bongbangbongbang
617720
answered 2 days ago
bongbangbongbang
617720
answered 2 days ago
bongbangbongbang
617720
617720
add a comment |
add a comment |
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