Path: csiph.com!eeepc.pasdenom.info!news.pasdenom.info!news.dougwise.org!gegeweb.org!de-l.enfer-du-nord.net!feeder1.enfer-du-nord.net!feeder.news-service.com!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed5.news.xs4all.nl!xs4all!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail Return-Path: X-Original-To: python-list@python.org Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org X-Spam-Status: OK 0.019 X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 0.96; '*S*': 0.00; 'produces': 0.07; 'match.': 0.09; 'subject:()': 0.09; 'pm,': 0.12; 'wrote:': 0.14; 'subject:returning': 0.16; 'feb': 0.16; 'figure': 0.16; 'cc:no real name:2**0': 0.17; 'cheers,': 0.17; 'skip:r 30': 0.18; 'cc:2**0': 0.21; 'trying': 0.22; 'emphasis': 0.23; 'header:In- Reply-To:1': 0.23; 'cc:addr:python-list': 0.24; 'matching': 0.24; 'string': 0.27; 'url:blog': 0.27; 'url:library': 0.28; "i'm": 0.28; 'message-id:@mail.gmail.com': 0.29; 'pattern': 0.30; 'stops': 0.30; 'match': 0.30; 'cc:addr:python.org': 0.30; 'import': 0.31; 'expression': 0.31; 'thu,': 0.31; "doesn't": 0.32; 'instances': 0.34; 'where': 0.35; 'url:docs': 0.35; 'regular': 0.37; 'think': 0.37; 'docs': 0.37; 'location': 0.37; 'received:209.85': 0.38; 'received:google.com': 0.38; 'url:org': 0.38; 'subject:: ': 0.39; 'url:python': 0.39; '12:32': 0.84; 'stupid': 0.84; 'url:re': 0.84; 'hence,': 0.91; 'to:none': 0.92 DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=rebertia.com; s=google; h=domainkey-signature:mime-version:sender:in-reply-to:references:date :x-google-sender-auth:message-id:subject:from:cc:content-type; bh=k29vyBIdSw5ss1rdpwsOxLdnhu1o0YcqJh/NxX+h1kg=; b=Mit22iy0NwHlJ6SY8LUbal64Go6XO54TMt+7lObOe1xAyZTAwaw80/ynf6cecndmkR 16GcP7sprtzUW23tCyEKIqrXIITrIahB1CjD1c2JHi21AMVSJoHh8kUnd2a7H3HpKOd0 dmqiFKoufnAY2BcmTo1siGY0OySudOBNqW+Bk= DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; c=nofws; d=rebertia.com; s=google; h=mime-version:sender:in-reply-to:references:date :x-google-sender-auth:message-id:subject:from:cc:content-type; b=Edz8WabFqYspN8Xmylala4dLSQicyJ/FD/InigvdMDptaNb0iB2VGOrtKt7UKYpU25 nc4iUQ+rBwiH5+F7JKZlNSqdaK04V+wRTh00b01GgDr/zzMoKQkmFrsr594E1SbvjEo/ UnUbh/cRKrlxK0oVSHbHb0zkZjD26yiisRuRI= MIME-Version: 1.0 Sender: chris@rebertia.com In-Reply-To: References: Date: Thu, 3 Feb 2011 12:42:55 -0800 X-Google-Sender-Auth: PNIwxxvPasuvN0We3xX73EXF9nI Subject: Re: returning all matching groups with re.search() From: Chris Rebert Cc: python-list@python.org Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.12 Precedence: list List-Id: General discussion list for the Python programming language List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Newsgroups: comp.lang.python Message-ID: Lines: 29 NNTP-Posting-Host: 82.94.164.166 X-Trace: 1296765779 news.xs4all.nl 41102 [::ffff:82.94.164.166]:50637 X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.python:56036 On Thu, Feb 3, 2011 at 12:32 PM, mhearne808[insert-at-sign-here]gmail[insert-dot-here]com wrote: > Here's a scenario: > > import re > m = re.search('e','fredbarneybettywilma') > > Now, here's a stupid question: > why doesn't m.groups() return ('e','e','e'). Straight from the docs (http://docs.python.org/library/re.html ), emphasis mine: re.search(pattern, string[, flags]) "Scan through string looking for **a** location where the regular expression pattern produces **a** match [...]" Hence, it stops looking after the very first match. > I'm trying to figure out how to match ALL of the instances of a > pattern in one call - the group() and groups() return subgroups... how > do I get my search to get me all of the matching subgroups? I think you want re.finditer() or re.findall(). Cheers, Chris -- http://blog.rebertia.com