Boost C++ Libraries

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Boost-Extended Format String Syntax

Boost-Extended format strings treat all characters as literals except for '$', '\', '(', ')', '?', and ':'.

Grouping

The characters '(' and ')' perform lexical grouping, so use \( and \) if you want a to output literal parenthesis.

Conditionals

The character '?' begins a conditional expression, the general form is:

?Ntrue-expression:false-expression

where N is decimal digit.

If sub-expression N was matched, then true-expression is evaluated and sent to output, otherwise false-expression is evaluated and sent to output.

You will normally need to surround a conditional-expression with parenthesis in order to prevent ambiguities.

For example, the format string "(?1foo:bar)" will replace each match found with "foo" if the sub-expression $1 was matched, and with "bar" otherwise.

For sub-expressions with an index greater than 9, or for access to named sub-expressions use:

?{INDEX}true-expression:false-expression

or

?{NAME}true-expression:false-expression

Placeholder Sequences

Placeholder sequences specify that some part of what matched the regular expression should be sent to output as follows:

Placeholder

Meaning

$&

Outputs what matched the whole expression.

$MATCH

As $&

${^MATCH}

As $&

$`

Outputs the text between the end of the last match found (or the start of the text if no previous match was found), and the start of the current match.

$PREMATCH

As $`

${^PREMATCH}

As $`

$'

Outputs all the text following the end of the current match.

$POSTMATCH

As $'

${^POSTMATCH}

As $'

$+

Outputs what matched the last marked sub-expression in the regular expression.

$LAST_PAREN_MATCH

As $+

$LAST_SUBMATCH_RESULT

Outputs what matched the last sub-expression to be actually matched.

$^N

As $LAST_SUBMATCH_RESULT

$$

Outputs a literal '$'

$n

Outputs what matched the n'th sub-expression.

${n}

Outputs what matched the n'th sub-expression.

$+{NAME}

Outputs whatever matched the sub-expression named "NAME".

Any $-placeholder sequence not listed above, results in '$' being treated as a literal.

Escape Sequences

An escape character followed by any character x, outputs that character unless x is one of the escape sequences shown below.

Escape

Meaning

\a

Outputs the bell character: '\a'.

\e

Outputs the ANSI escape character (code point 27).

\f

Outputs a form feed character: '\f'

\n

Outputs a newline character: '\n'.

\r

Outputs a carriage return character: '\r'.

\t

Outputs a tab character: '\t'.

\v

Outputs a vertical tab character: '\v'.

\xDD

Outputs the character whose hexadecimal code point is 0xDD

\x{DDDD}

Outputs the character whose hexadecimal code point is 0xDDDDD

\cX

Outputs the ANSI escape sequence "escape-X".

\D

If D is a decimal digit in the range 1-9, then outputs the text that matched sub-expression D.

\l

Causes the next character to be outputted, to be output in lower case.

\u

Causes the next character to be outputted, to be output in upper case.

\L

Causes all subsequent characters to be output in lower case, until a \E is found.

\U

Causes all subsequent characters to be output in upper case, until a \E is found.

\E

Terminates a \L or \U sequence.


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