How to use non-greedy correctly?

How to use non-greedy correctly?

8

    Mar 10, 2023#1

    How do I make the search pattern <SP (.+:)> non-greedy so that it picks up in

    Code: Select all

    <SP Hy:> Ek kom na my tuin,<CI><PI2> my suster, my bruid.<CI><PI> Ek pluk my mirre met my speserye,<CI><PI> ek eet my heuningkoek<CI><PI2> met my heuning,<CI><PI> ek drink my wyn met my melk.<SP Koor:><CI><PI> Eet, vriende!<CI><PI> Drink, en word van liefde dronk!<CM>
    just <SP Hy:> and on next search just <SP Koor:> and not everything from <SP Hy:> to <SP Koor:>?

    I have tried everything I could think of, to no avail.

    6,602548
    Grand MasterGrand Master
    6,602548

      Mar 10, 2023#2

      There can be used as search expression either <SP (.+?:)> or <SP ([^:]+:)> which both stop matching characters on next colon and the first one also on newline characters like carriage return and line-feed. ? after a multiplier like * or + means non-greedy, see Repetition with Star and Plus and best also Possessive Quantifiers.
      Best regards from an UC/UE/UES for Windows user from Austria

      18672
      MasterMaster
      18672

        Mar 11, 2023#3

        Just be careful because ? itself can be used as a quantifier as well. Personally, I suggest to think of quantifiers in this way:

        greedy

        * any to 0
        + any to 1
        ? 1 to 0
        {n,m}        m to n

        non-greedy

        *? 0 to any
        +? 1 to any
        ?? 0 to 1
        {n,m}?      n to m

        I believe It helps to better understand how the regexp engine works.

        BR, Fleggy