PHP Regex replace tags

Question

I have a piece of text that contains:

[shipping_address]
<p><b>#shipping_title#</b></p>
<p>#shipping_name#<br>
  #shipping_streetNrBox#<br>
  #shipping_zipcode# #shipping_city#<br>
  #shipping_country#<br>
</p>
[/shipping_address]

In php if a certain if statements return true, I want to remove the entire block (including [shipping_address][/shipping_address]). I am using a preg_replace but I need some help with the code.

$content = preg_replace("\[shipping_address\](.*?)\[/shipping_address\]", "" , $content);

does not do the trick, can someone help me out please.

Could you put in the question how you're using preg_replace? It seems that you're not using the delimiters. — Jerry
– Jerry, Commented Sep 16, 2013 at 9:46
It sounds like you're trying to write your own templating engine. May I recommend using one that already exists (Smarty, Mustache, Twig...). No point re-inventing the wheel. — Spudley
– Spudley, Commented Sep 16, 2013 at 9:54

Alma Do · Accepted Answer · 2013-09-16 10:11:37Z

4

This will do the stuff:

$sData = preg_replace('/\[shipping_address\](.*?)\[\/shipping_address\]/si', '', $sData);

-be aware about using pattern delimiters and multiline replacement (s modifier - in this case, it refers to . (dot) symbol). I've also added i modifier to make replacement case-insensitive.

edited Sep 16, 2013 at 10:11

answered Sep 16, 2013 at 9:49

Alma Do

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5 Comments

Carsten Massmann Over a year ago

The multiline modifier is actually m, but you also need the PCRE_DOTALL modifyer s that will allow . to also match newline characters, but you included both anyway!

Alma Do Over a year ago

@cars10 yes, mistyped - added more brief explanation, thank you

Steven Over a year ago

This is most definitely nitpicking, however: you don't need to have a capture group for (.*?) neither do you need the m modifier and you could use a different delimiter to save escaping the / in the closing tag.

Alma Do Over a year ago

Agreed with m (since have no end of lines). Saved () as a part of OP's pattern (perhaps it's used somewhere in replacement in other places - not sure). As for / - it's just a habit (since using that in javascript).

Steven Over a year ago

I hear you with / habit... Do it myself all the time haha and when it is only one it doesn't make it all that much of a problem. As for () I see where you're coming from but remain unconvinced :P Still +1 from me as the best answer here

tuchk4 · Accepted Answer · 2013-09-16 09:54:06Z

1

You should use Pattern Modifiers.

s (PCRE_DOTALL): If this modifier is set, a dot metacharacter in the pattern matches all characters, including newlines. Without it, newlines are excluded. This modifier is equivalent to Perl's /s modifier. A negative class such as [^a] always matches a newline character, independent of the setting of this modifier.

<?php
$string = '123 [shipping_address]

<p><b>#shipping_title#</b></p>
<p>#shipping_name#<br>
  #shipping_streetNrBox#<br>
  #shipping_zipcode# #shipping_city#<br>
  #shipping_country#<br>
</p>
[/shipping_address] test';


var_dump( preg_replace('/\[shipping_address\].*\[\/shipping_address\]/s', '', $string ));

answered Sep 16, 2013 at 9:54

tuchk4

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Comments

Vaibs_Cool · Accepted Answer · 2013-09-16 09:51:50Z

0

You can try this

preg_replace('/([shipping_address[^>]*])(.*?)([\/shipping_address])/i', '', $string);

If you want to remove the shippingaddress too: then try this

preg_replace('/[shipping_address[^>]*].*?[\/shipping_address]/i', '', $string);

answered Sep 16, 2013 at 9:51

Vaibs_Cool

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2 Comments

Alma Do Over a year ago

This will not work since by default, . does not include line breaks. You need to add s modifier

Steven Over a year ago

This is not an answer... It will not work and there are a number of different things wrong with it

Adarsh Kumar · Accepted Answer · 2013-09-16 10:14:31Z

0

It should work for you:

$content = preg_replace("/\[shipping_address\](.*[\n\r].*)*\[/shipping_address\]/", "" , $content);

edited Sep 16, 2013 at 10:14

answered Sep 16, 2013 at 10:05

Adarsh Kumar

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Comments

pinckerman · Accepted Answer · 2013-09-16 10:47:01Z

0

You can try this:

$search = "/\[shipping_address\](.*?)\[\/shipping_address]/s";
$replace = " ";
$string = "[shipping_address]
<p><b>#shipping_title#</b></p>
<p>#shipping_name#<br>
  #shipping_streetNrBox#<br>
  #shipping_zipcode# #shipping_city#<br>
  #shipping_country#<br>
</p>
[/shipping_address]";
echo preg_replace($search,$replace,$string);

edited Sep 16, 2013 at 10:47

pinckerman

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answered Sep 16, 2013 at 10:19

Gowthamr.cs

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