One thing I would add is that the inner pair of parentheses is used to isolate ^|\n\n from the rest of the pattern so it is clear what the | is operating on. /cat|blue fish/ matches "cat" or "blue fish" but /(cat|blue) fish/ matches "cat fish" or "blue fish". (The parentheses also capture the thing that was matched in $2, but we don't need it. (?:^|\n\n) would prevent it from capturing the match, but capturing doesn't hurt anything in this case and the pattern is easier to read.)
Katy Nigel Peck wrote: > > s/((^|\n\n).+?)\n/$1 /g; > > s/ substitute > ( put this is $1 > (^ the start of the file > | or > \n\n) two newlines > ..+? followed by 1 or more characters up until a > ) stop putting it in $1 > \n newline > / with > $1 / the text captured above followed by a space > g; keep doing it until you can't match anymore > > >>> Sunish Kapoor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 07/04/02 04:27pm >>> > Dear Katy, > > It works great after the changed the regular expression to as given by > u > below..! > Thanks a ton for the help.....but may I request for a small explanation > of the > line > $file =~ s/((^|\n\n).+?)\n/$1 /g; > > Sunish > > Katy Brownfield wrote: > > > Or, instead of changing the input file, change the regular expression > to > > also detect the beginning of the string. > > > > $file =~ s/((^|\n\n).+?)\n/$1 /g; > > > > Katy > > > > Timothy Johnson wrote: > > > > > > > > > I think you'll need 2 blank lines. > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Sunish Kapoor > > > To: Nigel Peck > > > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > Sent: 7/3/02 6:51 PM > > > Subject: Re: Regular Expression Help sought > > > > > > Dear Nigel, > > > > > > Thanks a ton for the script..It works fine though it skips the > first > > > record > > > even though I make > > > the file begin with a blank line by simply hitting enter ! > > > > > > Regards > > > > > > Sunish > > > Nigel Peck wrote: > > > > > > > My first attempt, which may be a bit simplified, would be to > > > substitute > > > > any newline, which occured at the end of a line which was > preceeded by > > > 2 > > > > consecutive newlines, with a space. This relies on the format of > the > > > > file being as shown for every company. It also may miss the > first > > > > company in the file if the file doesn't start with a blank line. > > > > > > > > So > > > > > > > > undef $/; > > > > $file = <FILE>; > > > > $file =~ s/(\n\n.+?)\n/$1 /g; > > > > print $file; > > > > > > > > [untested] > > > > > > > > HTH > > > > Nigel > > > > > > > > >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 07/03/02 10:52pm >>> > > > > Hi All, > > > > > > > > I am new to Perl and need help to solve this one ! > > > > > > > > I have a txt file and the contents of the file are as below : > > > > > > > > ---------------CONTENTS OF TEXT > FILE-------------------------- > > > > Abdullah Ahmed Hassan > > > > Trading > > > > Location Ruwi Souk St, Ruwi > > > > Bus Hrs 0930-1300:1630-2200 > > > > P.O. Box 197 Ruwi Code 112 > > > > Phone 708940 > > > > Fax 794156 > > > > Key Staff Abdullah Ahmed Hassan > > > > Mohammad Hussain Ahmed Hassan > > > > Irfan Ahmed > > > > Mohammad Asim > > > > Activities :3410 > > > > Email : [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > > > Abu Ali Trading & Cont > > > > Est > > > > Location Azaiba > > > > B us H rs 0700-1200; 1500-1900 > > > > P.O. Box 1695 C. P. 0. Code 111 > > > > Phone 595324 > > > > Key Staff K. Sasi, Prop > > > > Ali Suleiman Al Ghubshi, Sponsor > > > > Activities 2700 > > > > > > > > Abu Al Dahab Trading & Contg > > > > Est > > > > Location 23rd July St, Opp Al Ghobish > > > > Furniture Showroom > > > > Bus Hrs 0800-1300 (Sat-Thu); 1600-1900 (Sat- > > > > Fri) > > > > P.O. Box 1254 Salalah Code 211 > > > > Phone 297879 > > > > Fax 297879 > > > > Key Staff Syed Tajudeen Madani, Gen Mgr > > > > Activities 2660 > > > > ---------------CONTENTS OF TEXT FILE-------------------------- > > > > > > > > The names of three companies as above are: > > > > > > > > Abdullah Ahmed Hassan > > > > Trading > > > > > > > > Abu Ali Trading & Cont > > > > Est > > > > > > > > Abu Al Dahab Trading & Contg > > > > Est > > > > > > > > I want the data this way . > > > > > > > > -----------DATA WANTED THIS WAY---------------- > > > > Abdullah Ahmed Hassan Trading > > > > Location Ruwi Souk St, Ruwi > > > > Bus Hrs 0930-1300:1630-2200 > > > > P.O. Box 197 Ruwi Code 112 > > > > Phone 708940 > > > > Fax 794156 > > > > Key Staff Abdullah Ahmed Hassan > > > > Mohammad Hussain Ahmed Hassan > > > > Irfan Ahmed > > > > Mohammad Asim > > > > Activities :3410 > > > > Email : [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > > > Abu Ali Trading & Cont Est > > > > Location Azaiba > > > > B us H rs 0700-1200; 1500-1900 > > > > P.O. Box 1695 C. P. 0. Code 111 > > > > Phone 595324 > > > > Key Staff K. Sasi, Prop > > > > Ali Suleiman Al Ghubshi, Sponsor > > > > Activities 2700 > > > > > > > > Abu Al Dahab Trading & Contg Est > > > > Location 23rd July St, Opp Al Ghobish > > > > Furniture Showroom > > > > Bus Hrs 0800-1300 (Sat-Thu); 1600-1900 (Sat- > > > > Fri) > > > > P.O. Box 1254 Salalah Code 211 > > > > Phone 297879 > > > > Fax 297879 > > > > Key Staff Syed Tajudeen Madani, Gen Mgr > > > > Activities 2660 > > > > -----------DATA WANTED THIS WAY---------------- > > > > > > > > I want PERL to make the name of the company to come in > > > > one line as it has done for all three records. > > > > > > > > I request your help solving this. > > > > > > > > Regards > > > > > > > > Sunish Kapoor > > > > > > > > ITM Business Solutions > > > > Unit 4 > > > > Nine Trees Trading Estate > > > > Morthen Road > > > > Rotherham > > > > S66 9JG > > > > > > > > Reception > > > > Tel: 01709 703288 > > > > Fax: 01709 701549 > > > > > > > > Help Desk > > > > Tel:01709 530424 > > > > Fax: 01709 702159 > > > > > > > > CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This message is intended only for the use > of > > > > the individual or entity to which it is addressed, and may > contain > > > > information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from > > > disclosure > > > > under applicable law. > > > > > > > > -- > > > > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > -- > > > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > -- > > > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > -- > > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > -- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > ITM Business Solutions > Unit 4 > Nine Trees Trading Estate > Morthen Road > Rotherham > S66 9JG > > Reception > Tel: 01709 703288 > Fax: 01709 701549 > > Help Desk > Tel:01709 530424 > Fax: 01709 702159 > > CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This message is intended only for the use of > the individual or entity to which it is addressed, and may contain > information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure > under applicable law. > > -- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
