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Groups > comp.lang.java.programmer > #20359

Re: multi-line Strings

Date 2012-12-15 08:53 -0500
From Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk>
Newsgroups comp.lang.java.programmer
Subject Re: multi-line Strings
References (10 earlier) <ka5u2o$h19$1@localhost.localdomain> <50c69625$0$293$14726298@news.sunsite.dk> <ka8c8b$68v$3@localhost.localdomain> <50cbeec3$0$291$14726298@news.sunsite.dk> <MbednV3SS9RB-VHNnZ2dnUVZ8lqdnZ2d@bt.com>
Message-ID <50cc80ca$0$284$14726298@news.sunsite.dk> (permalink)
Organization SunSITE.dk - Supporting Open source

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On 12/15/2012 6:54 AM, Chris Uppal wrote:
> Arne Vajhøj wrote:
>
>> The regex syntax itself is not exactly a good example of readability.
>
> This, I think, is the point.  We don't need a special String syntax to fix the
> problem with regexps -- we'd be much better off with a fixed regexp syntax.
> Something OO.  And (since this is Java) I don't think that we need be afraid of
> something verbose.
>
> Off-the-top-of-my-head (all classes and method are imaginary):
>
>      Regexp alpha = Regexp.fromList(java.lang.text.portable.Alphas);
>      alpha = alpha.or('_');
>      Regexp num = Regexp.fromList(java.lang.text.portable.Digits);
>      Regexp alphanum = alpha.or(num);
>      Regexp identifier = alpha.followedBy(alphanum.repeated());
>
> Naturally, I'd prefer something a /bit/ less verbose, but Java won't support
> that.  But even with the verbosity, I think my version is /far/ better.  It
> puts the composition of regexps into the programmer's hands which means that it
> can be approached like any other complex programming task.  Quoting/escaping
> problems go away.  Grouping (bracketing) problems go away (and become
> decoupled from the backreference concept.  Comments become trivially easy to
> add.  Various kinds of abstraction and reuse are possible.

I would assume that it has been tried many times to come up with
a nicer syntax for regex. Tried without success.

It is not a problem for the simplex regex, but the complex ones
are tricky.

> P.S. Mind you: my /real/ opinion is that regular expressions have no place in
> production code except in the construction of scanners (for which a more
> directly-applicable implementation than standalone regexps is helpful).
> Regexps are for users to enter, or go into configuration data.  At least the
> suggestion above has the advantage -- from my point of view -- that regexps no
> longer look like "quick and easy" fixes to problems, and maybe the programmer
> would think more about whether they /actually/ solve [all of] the problem at
> hand.

Regex is widely used for general data validations. From form input
validation in web apps to XML schema definitions.

Arne

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multi-line Strings bob smith <bob@coolfone.comze.com> - 2012-12-10 08:22 -0800
  Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-10 11:43 -0500
    Re: multi-line Strings Daniel Pitts <newsgroup.nospam@virtualinfinity.net> - 2012-12-10 09:36 -0800
    Re: multi-line Strings markspace <-@.> - 2012-12-10 09:42 -0800
      Re: multi-line Strings Daniel Pitts <newsgroup.nospam@virtualinfinity.net> - 2012-12-10 09:51 -0800
        Re: multi-line Strings markspace <-@.> - 2012-12-10 10:27 -0800
          Re: multi-line Strings Eric Sosman <esosman@comcast-dot-net.invalid> - 2012-12-10 13:43 -0500
            Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-10 15:08 -0500
              Re: multi-line Strings markspace <-@.> - 2012-12-10 13:05 -0800
              Re: multi-line Strings Eric Sosman <esosman@comcast-dot-net.invalid> - 2012-12-10 16:22 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings markspace <-@.> - 2012-12-10 13:36 -0800
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-10 16:52 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings Eric Sosman <esosman@comcast-dot-net.invalid> - 2012-12-10 18:04 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings Martin Gregorie <martin@address-in-sig.invalid> - 2012-12-11 00:17 +0000
                Re: multi-line Strings markspace <-@.> - 2012-12-10 17:35 -0800
                Re: multi-line Strings Martin Gregorie <martin@address-in-sig.invalid> - 2012-12-11 01:56 +0000
                Re: multi-line Strings markspace <-@.> - 2012-12-10 18:00 -0800
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-10 21:16 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings Martin Gregorie <martin@address-in-sig.invalid> - 2012-12-11 22:21 +0000
                Re: multi-line Strings BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-12-10 22:12 -0600
                Re: multi-line Strings Arved Sandstrom <asandstrom2@eastlink.ca> - 2012-12-11 05:01 -0400
                Re: multi-line Strings markspace <-@.> - 2012-12-11 09:46 -0800
                Re: multi-line Strings Martin Gregorie <martin@address-in-sig.invalid> - 2012-12-11 22:26 +0000
                Re: multi-line Strings BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-12-11 16:25 -0600
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-10 21:10 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings Martin Gregorie <martin@address-in-sig.invalid> - 2012-12-11 22:31 +0000
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-14 22:30 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-12-15 03:35 -0600
                Re: multi-line Strings "Chris Uppal" <chris.uppal@metagnostic.REMOVE-THIS.org> - 2012-12-15 11:54 +0000
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-15 08:53 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings Jim Janney <jjanney@shell.xmission.com> - 2012-12-16 12:19 -0700
                Re: multi-line Strings "Chris Uppal" <chris.uppal@metagnostic.REMOVE-THIS.org> - 2012-12-18 13:24 +0000
                Re: multi-line Strings Gene Wirchenko <genew@telus.net> - 2012-12-16 17:21 -0800
                Re: multi-line Strings "Chris Uppal" <chris.uppal@metagnostic.REMOVE-THIS.org> - 2012-12-18 14:03 +0000
                Re: multi-line Strings Gene Wirchenko <genew@telus.net> - 2012-12-18 09:05 -0800
                Re: multi-line Strings Arved Sandstrom <asandstrom2@eastlink.ca> - 2012-12-17 20:13 -0400
                Re: multi-line Strings "Chris Uppal" <chris.uppal@metagnostic.REMOVE-THIS.org> - 2012-12-18 13:38 +0000
                Re: multi-line Strings Arved Sandstrom <asandstrom2@eastlink.ca> - 2012-12-19 19:48 -0400
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-18 21:07 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-12-19 08:26 -0600
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-19 16:36 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-12-21 12:51 -0600
                Re: multi-line Strings BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-12-21 14:05 -0600
                Re: multi-line Strings "Peter J. Holzer" <hjp-usenet2@hjp.at> - 2012-12-15 18:22 +0100
                Re: multi-line Strings Robert Klemme <shortcutter@googlemail.com> - 2012-12-16 00:34 +0100
                Re: multi-line Strings BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-12-16 02:56 -0600
                Re: multi-line Strings Robert Klemme <shortcutter@googlemail.com> - 2012-12-16 14:07 +0100
                Re: multi-line Strings BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-12-16 13:44 -0600
                Re: multi-line Strings "Peter J. Holzer" <hjp-usenet2@hjp.at> - 2012-12-16 17:43 +0100
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-19 19:37 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-12-10 22:03 -0600
                Re: multi-line Strings Joshua Cranmer <Pidgeot18@verizon.invalid> - 2012-12-11 10:43 -0600
                Re: multi-line Strings Martin Gregorie <martin@address-in-sig.invalid> - 2012-12-11 22:44 +0000
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-10 21:09 -0500
      Re: multi-line Strings Sebastian <sebastian@undisclosed.invalid> - 2012-12-12 10:40 +0100
        Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-12 20:28 -0500
    Re: multi-line Strings BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-12-10 13:42 -0600
  Re: multi-line Strings "William Bonawentura" <nie@ma.mnie.pl> - 2012-12-11 07:58 +0100
    Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-11 10:08 -0500
      Re: multi-line Strings Leif Roar Moldskred <leifm@dimnakorr.com> - 2012-12-11 09:41 -0600
      Re: multi-line Strings BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-12-11 15:02 -0600
        Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-14 22:27 -0500
        Re: multi-line Strings Joshua Cranmer <Pidgeot18@verizon.invalid> - 2012-12-14 23:23 -0600
          Re: multi-line Strings BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-12-15 02:56 -0600
    Re: multi-line Strings Eric Sosman <esosman@comcast-dot-net.invalid> - 2012-12-11 16:31 -0500
      Re: multi-line Strings BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-12-11 17:07 -0600
        Re: multi-line Strings Peter Duniho <NpOeStPeAdM@NnOwSlPiAnMk.com> - 2012-12-11 15:31 -0800
          Re: multi-line Strings BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-12-11 19:41 -0600
      Re: multi-line Strings "William Bonawentura" <nie@ma.mnie.pl> - 2012-12-13 07:43 +0100
        Re: multi-line Strings Lew <lewbloch@gmail.com> - 2012-12-12 23:09 -0800
        Re: multi-line Strings Arved Sandstrom <asandstrom2@eastlink.ca> - 2012-12-13 06:34 -0400
          Re: multi-line Strings "William Bonawentura" <nie@ma.mnie.pl> - 2012-12-14 07:35 +0100
            Re: multi-line Strings Leif Roar Moldskred <leifm@dimnakorr.com> - 2012-12-14 02:44 -0600
              Re: multi-line Strings "William Bonawentura" <nie@ma.mnie.pl> - 2012-12-14 11:48 +0100
                Re: multi-line Strings Leif Roar Moldskred <leifm@dimnakorr.com> - 2012-12-14 05:10 -0600
                Re: multi-line Strings Lew <lewbloch@gmail.com> - 2012-12-14 15:18 -0800
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-14 22:16 -0500
            Re: multi-line Strings Arved Sandstrom <asandstrom2@eastlink.ca> - 2012-12-14 05:55 -0400
              Re: multi-line Strings "William Bonawentura" <nie@ma.mnie.pl> - 2012-12-14 11:50 +0100
                Re: multi-line Strings Leif Roar Moldskred <leifm@dimnakorr.com> - 2012-12-14 05:12 -0600
                Re: multi-line Strings Daniel Pitts <newsgroup.nospam@virtualinfinity.net> - 2012-12-14 11:24 -0800
                Re: multi-line Strings markspace <-@.> - 2012-12-14 11:47 -0800
                Re: multi-line Strings Gene Wirchenko <genew@telus.net> - 2012-12-14 12:26 -0800
                Re: multi-line Strings markspace <-@.> - 2012-12-14 12:53 -0800
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-14 22:36 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings "Chris Uppal" <chris.uppal@metagnostic.REMOVE-THIS.org> - 2012-12-15 12:06 +0000
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-19 19:23 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings Leif Roar Moldskred <leifm@dimnakorr.com> - 2012-12-15 08:16 -0600
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-19 19:24 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings Lew <lewbloch@gmail.com> - 2012-12-15 13:36 -0800
                Re: multi-line Strings Gene Wirchenko <genew@telus.net> - 2012-12-16 17:36 -0800
                Re: multi-line Strings Gene Wirchenko <genew@telus.net> - 2012-12-14 12:30 -0800
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-14 22:43 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings Eric Sosman <esosman@comcast-dot-net.invalid> - 2012-12-14 17:36 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-14 22:46 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings BGB <cr88192@hotmail.com> - 2012-12-16 04:29 -0600
                Re: multi-line Strings Arved Sandstrom <asandstrom2@eastlink.ca> - 2012-12-17 20:45 -0400
                Re: multi-line Strings Peter Duniho <NpOeStPeAdM@NnOwSlPiAnMk.com> - 2012-12-17 17:11 -0800
                Re: multi-line Strings Eric Sosman <esosman@comcast-dot-net.invalid> - 2012-12-17 20:25 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings Peter Duniho <NpOeStPeAdM@NnOwSlPiAnMk.com> - 2012-12-17 18:13 -0800
                Re: multi-line Strings Arved Sandstrom <asandstrom2@eastlink.ca> - 2012-12-18 06:34 -0400
                Re: multi-line Strings Peter Duniho <NpOeStPeAdM@NnOwSlPiAnMk.com> - 2012-12-18 10:54 -0800
                Re: multi-line Strings Arved Sandstrom <asandstrom2@eastlink.ca> - 2012-12-18 18:57 -0400
                Re: multi-line Strings Eric Sosman <esosman@comcast-dot-net.invalid> - 2012-12-18 20:02 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings Lew <lewbloch@gmail.com> - 2012-12-18 17:13 -0800
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-19 19:35 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings Gene Wirchenko <genew@telus.net> - 2012-12-18 15:12 -0800
                Re: multi-line Strings Gene Wirchenko <genew@telus.net> - 2012-12-19 10:00 -0800
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-19 19:31 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-19 19:29 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings Arved Sandstrom <asandstrom2@eastlink.ca> - 2012-12-19 20:44 -0400
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-19 21:50 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings Lew <lewbloch@gmail.com> - 2012-12-19 23:15 -0800
                Re: multi-line Strings Arved Sandstrom <asandstrom2@eastlink.ca> - 2012-12-20 06:00 -0400
                Re: multi-line Strings Gene Wirchenko <genew@telus.net> - 2012-12-20 08:56 -0800
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-19 19:33 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-17 21:43 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings Leif Roar Moldskred <leifm@dimnakorr.com> - 2012-12-17 22:09 -0600
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-18 20:59 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings "Chris Uppal" <chris.uppal@metagnostic.REMOVE-THIS.org> - 2012-12-18 13:22 +0000
                Re: multi-line Strings Leif Roar Moldskred <leifm@dimnakorr.com> - 2012-12-18 07:52 -0600
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-18 20:58 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings Gene Wirchenko <genew@telus.net> - 2012-12-18 09:10 -0800
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-18 20:56 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings Arved Sandstrom <asandstrom2@eastlink.ca> - 2012-12-18 19:05 -0400
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-18 20:42 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings Jim Janney <jjanney@shell.xmission.com> - 2012-12-17 22:18 -0700
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-17 21:46 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings Peter Duniho <NpOeStPeAdM@NnOwSlPiAnMk.com> - 2012-12-17 21:01 -0800
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-18 20:46 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-17 21:51 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings Patricia Shanahan <pats@acm.org> - 2012-12-17 19:41 -0800
                Re: multi-line Strings Arved Sandstrom <asandstrom2@eastlink.ca> - 2012-12-18 19:19 -0400
                Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-18 20:50 -0500
                Re: multi-line Strings Arved Sandstrom <asandstrom2@eastlink.ca> - 2012-12-19 05:23 -0400
                Re: multi-line Strings Lew <lewbloch@gmail.com> - 2012-12-19 13:25 -0800
            Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-14 22:14 -0500
            Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-14 22:14 -0500
          Re: multi-line Strings Jukka Lahtinen <jtfjdehf@hotmail.com.invalid> - 2012-12-14 23:43 +0200
            Re: multi-line Strings Arne Vajhøj <arne@vajhoej.dk> - 2012-12-14 22:20 -0500
              Re: multi-line Strings Arved Sandstrom <asandstrom2@eastlink.ca> - 2012-12-17 20:47 -0400
  Re: multi-line Strings Jim Janney <jjanney@shell.xmission.com> - 2012-12-12 08:33 -0700
    Re: multi-line Strings Lew <lewbloch@gmail.com> - 2012-12-12 11:32 -0800
      Re: multi-line Strings markspace <-@.> - 2012-12-12 11:45 -0800
  Re: multi-line Strings Lew <lewbloch@gmail.com> - 2012-12-15 13:33 -0800
    Re: multi-line Strings Sven Köhler <remove-sven.koehler@gmail.com> - 2012-12-29 18:18 +0100

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