Delete all comments in C# code using TextPad 'Find And Replace' using Regular Expression

Question

I want to get rid of all comments in a C# file using a TextPad regular expression, using the Find And Replace feature. I don't need one regular expression to do this. I don't mind making multiple passes.

Scenarios:

If C# source code line contains code, remove the white spaces and comments after the code. If the C# source code line(s) contains no actual code, remove the entire line(s).

 x = y;  /* comment on single line */

 x = y;  // comment on single line

 x = y;  /* comment on multiple lines
            comment on multiple lines */

Are there any I'm missing?

Diego · Accepted Answer · 2012-03-24 17:36:54Z

1

I love TextPad! First of all, make sure you are using POSIX syntax (go to Configure > Preferences > Editor and enable "use POSIX regular expression syntax").

Indeed, you will need several passes:

Replace \/\*+.*\*+\/ for nothing.
Replace \/\/+.*$ for nothing.
Replace \/\*+.*$ for nothing.
Replace ^.*\*+\/\b*$ for nothing.

This will also remove something like:

/*** comment on single line ***/

or

//// comment on single line

It may be a good idea to record a macro so you can remove comments with a single click. There's are macros for commenting and uncommenting Javascript code that should work with C# code as well: http://www.textpad.com/add-ons/macros.html

edited Mar 24, 2012 at 17:36

answered Mar 24, 2012 at 17:31

Diego

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3 Comments

JustBeingHelpful Over a year ago

thanks dude!! Me too! I used to write these regular expressions all the time back in college, but I lost my arsenal (or misplaced it in my stack of CDs). I never heard about the POSIX syntax before.

Diego Over a year ago

I just checked and they seem to work without enabling POSIX syntax.

Qtax Over a year ago

In these expressions, remove all the +s, they are completely useless. And you need a ? after the first .*, and you can remove all the $ (if . doesn't match new lines, if it does you need to ungreedy all those quantifiers instead). And \b*? What do you mean with that? It makes no sense here.

frank tan · Accepted Answer · 2016-06-29 01:51:55Z

1

Using the regex pattern: (/([^]|[\r\n]|(+([^/]|[\r\n])))*+/)|(//.)

see more https://code.msdn.microsoft.com/How-to-find-code-comments-9d1f7a29/

answered Jun 29, 2016 at 1:51

frank tan

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