PHP preg_replace multiple words

Question

I have a problem when replacing strings with preg_replace.

function addClass($search, $string) {

    return preg_replace("/\b($search)\b/", "<div class=mark>$1</div>", $string);

}

$string = "We won again"; 
$result  = addClass("We", $string);

output ---> <div class=mark>We</div> won again

I want to make $search for multiple strings.

$string = "We won again"; 
$result  = addClass(array("We", "again"), $string);

output ---> <div class=mark>We</div> won <div class=mark>again</div>

How can I create multiple searches, to put strings in an array?

Thanks in advance.

Glorfindel · Accepted Answer · 2021-11-20 06:50:56Z

3

You can use or expresion in regex - (We|again)

function addClass($search, $string) {
    return preg_replace("/\b(". implode('|', $search) . ")\b/", "<div class=mark>$1</div>", $string);
}

And, if you want to save the old syntax, make an array from a single string:

function addClass($search, $string) {
    if(! is_array($search)) $search = array($search);
    return preg_replace("/\b(". implode('|', $search) . ")\b/", "<div class=mark>$1</div>", $string);
}

demo

edited Nov 20, 2021 at 6:50

Glorfindel

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answered Jun 14, 2016 at 13:36

splash58

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2 Comments

Ching Ching Over a year ago

ahh, my bad. i type "we" instead "We", how to make it case insensitive?

splash58 Over a year ago

Glad to help. Good luck!

RomanPerekhrest · Accepted Answer · 2016-06-14 13:41:19Z

2

The alternative solution using is_array and array_map functions:

function addClass($search, $string) {
    $search = (is_array($search))? array_map(function($v) { return "/\b($v)\b/"; }, $search) : ["/\b($search)\b/"];
    return preg_replace($search, "<div class=mark>$1</div>", $string);
}

answered Jun 14, 2016 at 13:41

RomanPerekhrest

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