Regex pattern in python: InvalidMatch

Question

I am trying to locate the following header in a list of files and replace it with my own.

/*************************************************************************************
 * Company: XXX
 * File Name: myfile1.c
 * Author: MyName
 * Date: 30/12/2011
 * Operating Environment: XXX
 * Compiler with Version Number:
 * Description: This file contains an array which returns a structure having API characteristics.
 * Version:
 ***********************************************************************************/

Basically I'm trying to write a python program to traverse a list of directories and do the string replacement in all of files. Following is the code for my program:

import sys
import os
import re
correctlicheader = r'''
/* <MY-HEADER>
 *
 */
'''

def changelic():
   startdir = sys.argv[1]
   for root, dirs, files in os.walk(startdir):
      for file in files:
         actualfilename =  os.path.join(root, file)
         print("Reading file: %s" %(actualfilename))
         f = open(actualfilename, 'r')
         read_data = f.read()             
         #try replacing the incorrect header
         p = re.compile("<MY-REGULAREXPRESSION-HERE>")
         changed_data = p.sub(correctlicheader, read_data, 1)
         f.close()
         f= open(actualfilename, 'w')
         f.write(changed_data)
         f.close()
    print("End")

if __name__ == '__main__':
   changelic()

The problem is not getting 'MY-REGULAREXPRESSION-HERE' right. I tried

p = re.compile("/\*[\*]*\r\n[ *[a-zA-Z0-9:/\.]+\r\n]*\*/")

and various permutations of the above. But I keep getting

matched = p.match(read_data)
None

Any suggestions to replace 'MY-REGULAREXPRESSION-HERE'? Also, is there any better method to do the same without open(read-mode)-close-open(write-mode)-write ?

Specifically /\*([^*]|[\r\n]|(\*+([^*/]|[\r\n])))*\*+/ works in my test of your code. I hope the code is backed up or under source control. — sotapme
– sotapme, Commented Jan 31, 2013 at 17:16
@sotapme combine those two comments into an answer. That's clearly what the OP is looking for. — Wilduck
– Wilduck, Commented Jan 31, 2013 at 17:21
I'm old fashioned, I was trying to save webspace. Fair point though. — sotapme
– sotapme, Commented Jan 31, 2013 at 17:27

sotapme · Accepted Answer · 2013-01-31 17:31:08Z

1

http://ostermiller.org/findcomment.html has the regexps for finding c++ comments.

Changing <MY-REGULAREXPRESSION-HERE> to /\*([^*]|[\r\n]|(\*+([^*/]|[\r\n])))*\*+/ will do the right thing.

I've run your code on my machine and it does as one would expect.

Thanks to @Wilduck for the push. :)

answered Jan 31, 2013 at 17:31

sotapme

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