Question

Trying to replace a string, but it seems to only match the first occurrence, and if I have another occurrence it doesn’t match anything, so I think I need to add some sort of end delimiter?

My code:

$mappings = array(
    'fname'     => $prospect->forename,
    'lname'     => $prospect->surname,
    'cname'     => $prospect->company,
);

foreach($mappings as $key => $mapping) if(empty($mapping)) $mappings[$key] = '$2';

$match  = '~{(.*)}(.*?){/.*}$~ise';
$source     = 'Hello {fname}Default{/fname} {lname}Last{/lname}';
// $source  = 'Hello {fname}Default{/fname}';

$text = preg_replace($match, '$mappings["$1"]', $source);

So if I use the $source that’s commented, it matches fine, but if I use the one currently in the code above where there’s 2 matches, it doesn’t match anything and I get an error:

Message: Undefined index: fname}Default{/fname} {lname

Filename: schedule.php(62) : regexp code

So am I right in saying I need to provide an end delimiter or something?

Thanks,
Christian

Answer 1

Apparently your regexp matches fname}Default{/fname} {lname instead of Default.

As I mentioned here use {(.*?)} instead of {(.*)}.

{ has special meaning in regexps so you should escape it \\{.

And I recommend using preg_replace_callback instead of e modifier (you have more flow control and syntax higlighting and it’s impossible to force your program to execute malicious code).

Last mistake you’re making is not checking whether the requested index exists. 🙂

My solution would be:

<?php

class A { // Of course with better class name :)
    public $mappings = array(
        'fname' => 'Tested'
    );

    public function callback( $match)
    {
        if( isset( $this->mappings[$match[1]])){
            return $this->mappings[$match[1]];
        }

        return $match[2];
    }   
}

$a = new A();
$match  = '~\\{([^}]+)\\}(.*?)\\{/\\1\\}~is';
$source     = 'Hello {fname}Default{/fname} {lname}Last{/lname}';

echo preg_replace_callback( $match, array($a, 'callback'), $source);

This results into:

[vyktor@grepfruit tmp]$ php stack.php
Hello Tested Last