> [!IMPORTANT] > This repository is moved to [Codeberg.org](https://codeberg.org/KooiInc/RegexHelper). > > For now it is kept in sync with the original repository @[Github](https://github.com/KooiInc/RegexHelper). > > Depending on future USA/Microsoft/Github policies the Github version maybe discontinued later. > > In other words, *starting july 12 2025 the Codeberg repository is ***authorative****. # RegexHelper A module to create JS regular expressions with comments and whitespace using a [tagged template](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Template_literals#tagged_templates) ## Import ```javascript import $RE from "[location of RegexpCreator.js]"; ``` ## Syntax ```javascript const noCommentRE = $RE` // ------------------------------------------------------------------- // this regular expression finds all comment sections in a JS-string // ------------------------------------------------------------------- \/\* ( ?: [^*] | \*+[^*\/] ) *\*+\/ // multiline (/* ... */) | // or ( ? /\/\*(?:[^*]|\*+[^*\/])*\*+\/|(? Hello world\nHello ``` ### escape The imported function (here `$RE`) has a static `escape` method to escape strings for a regular expression. It either uses the new (generally available) [RegExp.escape](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/RegExp/escape) or a proprietary escape method for older browsers. ```javascript $RE.escape(`Hello (world)`); // result => // using RegExp.escape: "\x48ello\x20$world\$" // using proprietary method: "\Hello\x20$world$"; ``` ### flags A `$RE`-instance is actually a [Proxy](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Proxy). It can be used as a regular expression, but also contains a `flags` method and a getter (`re`) for the actual regular expression value. The `[$RE instance].re` getter return the actual RegExp instance. Flags can be added using the instance `flags` method `[$RE RegEx instance].flags([flags:string])` or (legacy) by adding an Array of flag strings as *last* replacement in the template string e.g. ```$RE`[ABZ].+ ${["g", "u"]}` ```. To ***remove*** all current flags, use `[$RE RegEx instance].flags("-r")`. The `flags` method is chainable. So `[$RE RegEx instance].flags("-r").flags("gm")` removes current flags from the instance and re-adds `gm`. ***Replacing*** flags in the instance can be accomplished using the above mentioned (chaining) or `[$RE RegEx instance].flags("-r|[new flags]")` (so remove current flags `-r`, then add `|[new flags]`, e.g. `[$RE RegEx instance].flags(-r|iu`). **Notes** - The replacement value must be the *last* replacement in the template string. - The given flags are checked and cleaned ### plain spaces To insert a plain space (so *not* a [whitespace](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Glossary/Whitespace)) use ```javascript const hiRE = $RE` Hello /* <= this will be a plain space in the result */ {1,} .*`.flags(`gi`); // hiRE => /Hello {1,}.*/gi const hi = hiRE.test("hello world!"); // hi => true ``` Or use `$re.escape` ```javascript const hiRE = $RE` Hello${$re.escape(` `)} /* <= this will be \x20 in the result */ {1,} .*`.flags(`gi`); // hiRE => /Hello\x20{1,}.*/gi hiRE.test("hello world!"); // => true ``` **[Demonstration/examples](https://kooiinc.codeberg.page/RegExHelper/Demo/)**.