php preg_replace with slash character

Question

$remarks = preg_replace('/'.$searchText.'/i', '<span class="searchText">$0</span>', $remarks);

I use the line of code above to highlight the search text that has been entered by the user. It works 99% of the time except when the search string happens to contain a forward slash (/) character. When they do that, php returns a "unknown modifier" error. I've tried escaping the forward slash with a back slash character by adding this line of code ahead of the preg_replace line.

$searchText = str_replace('/', '\/', $searchText);

That doesn't seem to help. How do I make this work?

Any reason you're using str_replace instead of preg_replace in your additional line to remove any additional slashes? With the additional line also, have you tried replacing the / with nothing rather than escaping it? — Ryan
– Ryan, Commented Dec 8, 2011 at 13:32
I used str_replace instead of preg_replace because I don't think I need the extra capabilities of preg_replace. If I replace the / with nothing, then it won't highlight the proper text. — user39653
– user39653, Commented Dec 8, 2011 at 14:49

deceze · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-08 13:32:57Z

2

That's what preg_quote is for:

$searchText = preg_quote($searchText, '/');
preg_replace("/$searchText/i", ...)

answered Dec 8, 2011 at 13:32

deceze♦

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user39653 Over a year ago

After I add that line I get a "Compilation failed: regular expression too large at offset 0" error.

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