Re: list of regex matches

[Matthew Huggett]

       >> I'd like to build a list of regular expression matches.
       >> Specifically, I have a buffer in which some text is
       >> surrounded by || characters.  I'd like to build a list of
       >> all these chunks of || <some text> ||.  I thought that maybe
       >> I could use a recursive function that makes calls to
       >> (re-search-forward...) but I haven't got it right yet.  Any
       >> suggestions would be appreciated.  I'm looking for a
       >> function that would take a buffer or even a string and
       >> return a list of strings that matched a regular expression.

>   If by "building a list" you mean you want to look at that list rather
>   than using it in a program, M-x occur is exactly the function you're
>   looking for.  M-x occur is also a handy way of debugging a regexp which
>   you need in a lisp function.
>
>   If you want to process that list, then `re-search-forward' is indeed the
>   thing.  After a successful `re-search-forward', the three functions
>   `buffer-substring', `match-beginning' and `match-end' will enable you to
>   copy the string out of the buffer.  You can then cons all these strings
>   together as you find them.

Thanks very much.  This last bit is exactly what I want to do.  (But I
didn't know about M-x occur, so I'll be sure to give it a try.)

>   Why were you thinking of using a recursive function?

I think I had the wrong idea of how to use 're-search-forward' and was
trying to find a way to step through the buffer.


Thanks again.

Regards,

Matthew Huggett