Howto Find and Replace with RegEx

pizzipie · 08-16-2020, 07:28 PM

Hi,
Using Ubuntu 18.04.

Typically in Bluefish Editor, LibreOffice, or Pluma:

I am trying to replace a 10 digit number with a Telephone-Number-like format. (I have a LibreOffice Calc Sheet with about 400 phone no's in 10 digit format)

2025551212 => 201.555.1212

I find the raw number 2025551212 with \d{3}\d{3}\d{4}

Find: \d{3}\d{3}\d{4} or I've tried (\d{3})(\d{3})(\d{4}) or /(\d{3})(\d{3})(\d{4})/

Replace With: ???????????????????????????

to get (\d{3}).(\d{3}).(\d{4})
201 . 555 . 1212

I had an answer to a question similar to this from a LibreOffice Forum and part of the answer I got was:

Quote:

Also you can use Find&Replace whith this options

Find: ([^;]*);(.*) //Robert;Smith
Replace: $2;$1 //Smith;Robert
Regular expresions: ON

Which I have not been able to make work.

Thanks for any help,

R

Ser Olmy · 08-16-2020, 09:10 PM

You'll need to use backreferences.

In LibreOffice, you group (parts of) the match for a backreference using non-escaped parentheses:

Code:

(\d{3})(\d{3})(\d{4})

The slightly non-standard part is that you reference these matches with $<number>, rather than the more common \<number>:

Code:

Search for: (\d{3})(\d{3})(\d{4})
Replace with: $1.$2.$3

syg00 · 08-16-2020, 09:11 PM

Never needed it but a quick test showed this to work for me.
Use the brackets to create capture groups, and $1, $2, $3 to refer to them. So find (\d{3})(\d{3})(\d{4}) and replace

Code:

$1.$2.$3

- I've gotta be the worlds slowest typer ...

danielbmartin · 08-16-2020, 09:44 PM

With this InFile ...

Code:

For information: 9195551212
This is random text.
For a good time call Rhoda at 9197820000
More random text.
For time of day ...
3034997111 for WWV (Colorado) or 8083354363 for WWVH (Hawaii).

... this sed ...

Code:

sed -r -e :a -e 's/(.*[0-9])([0-9]{2})([0-9]{3})([0-9]{4})/\1\2-\3-\4/;ta'  \
$InFile >$OutFile

... produced this OutFile ...

Code:

For information: 919-555-1212
This is random text.
For a good time call Rhoda at 919-782-0000
More random text.
For time of day ...
303-499-7111 for WWV (Colorado) or 808-335-4363 for WWVH (Hawaii).

Daniel B. Martin

.

pizzipie · 08-17-2020, 10:57 AM

Thanks people,

This only works in LibreOffice which is ok.

SED I don't know about.

R