How can I use a regex expression to identify the falses between braces on different lines?

user_19104028 0
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I'm attempting to use the Python re.sub module to replace any instance of false in the example below with "false, \n"

local Mission = {

    start_done = false
    game_over = false

} --End Mission

I've attempted the following, but I'm not getting a successful replacements. The idea being I start and end with the anchor strings, skip over anything that isn't a "false", and return "false + ','" when I get a match. Any help would be appreciated!

re.sub(r'(Mission = {)(.+?)(false)(.+?)(} --End Mission)', r'\1' + ',' + '\n')
python regex
3 Answers

You can use

re.sub(r'Mission = {.*?} --End Mission', lambda x: x.group().replace('false', 'false, \n'), text, flags=re.S)

See the regex demo.

Notes:

  • The Mission = {.*?} --End Mission regex matches Mission = {, then any zero or more chars as few as chars, and then } --End Mission
  • Then false is replaced with false, \n in the matched texts.

See the Python demo:

import re
text = 'local Mission = {\n    start_done = false\n    game_over = false\n\n} --End Mission'
rx = r'Mission = {.*?} --End Mission'
print(re.sub(rx, lambda x: x.group().replace('false', 'false, \n'), text, flags=re.S))
user_38329700

Another option without regex:

your_string = 'local Mission = {\n    start_done = false\n    game_over = false\n\n} --End Mission'
print(your_string.replace(' = false\n', ' = false,\n'))

Output:

local Mission = {
    start_done = false,
    game_over = false,

} --End Mission
user_124928900

Provided that every "false" string which is preceded by = and followed by \n has to be substituted then here a regex:

re.sub(r'= (false)\n', r'= \1,\n', text)

Note: you introduce 5 groups in your regex so you should have used \3 and not \1 to refer to "false", group start from 1, see doc at paragraph \number

user_164628780
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