Replace character with another only if repeated and not part of a word












6















In Python3, the following code works to replace a string (two or more) of *'s with x's.



import re
re.sub(r'*(?=*)|(?<=*)*', 'x', 'Replace this *** but not this *')
# 'Replace this xxx but not this *'


But what if I also want to exempt a string of *'s that are part of a "word" like the following? (I.e. the string is attached to one or more [a-zA-Z] characters.)



text = "Don't replace foo*** or **bar, either."
# unmodified text expected


How do I do this? I can probably match the exempted cases as well and use a replacement function to deal with them, but is there a better way?










share|improve this question





























    6















    In Python3, the following code works to replace a string (two or more) of *'s with x's.



    import re
    re.sub(r'*(?=*)|(?<=*)*', 'x', 'Replace this *** but not this *')
    # 'Replace this xxx but not this *'


    But what if I also want to exempt a string of *'s that are part of a "word" like the following? (I.e. the string is attached to one or more [a-zA-Z] characters.)



    text = "Don't replace foo*** or **bar, either."
    # unmodified text expected


    How do I do this? I can probably match the exempted cases as well and use a replacement function to deal with them, but is there a better way?










    share|improve this question



























      6












      6








      6








      In Python3, the following code works to replace a string (two or more) of *'s with x's.



      import re
      re.sub(r'*(?=*)|(?<=*)*', 'x', 'Replace this *** but not this *')
      # 'Replace this xxx but not this *'


      But what if I also want to exempt a string of *'s that are part of a "word" like the following? (I.e. the string is attached to one or more [a-zA-Z] characters.)



      text = "Don't replace foo*** or **bar, either."
      # unmodified text expected


      How do I do this? I can probably match the exempted cases as well and use a replacement function to deal with them, but is there a better way?










      share|improve this question
















      In Python3, the following code works to replace a string (two or more) of *'s with x's.



      import re
      re.sub(r'*(?=*)|(?<=*)*', 'x', 'Replace this *** but not this *')
      # 'Replace this xxx but not this *'


      But what if I also want to exempt a string of *'s that are part of a "word" like the following? (I.e. the string is attached to one or more [a-zA-Z] characters.)



      text = "Don't replace foo*** or **bar, either."
      # unmodified text expected


      How do I do this? I can probably match the exempted cases as well and use a replacement function to deal with them, but is there a better way?







      python regex python-3.x






      share|improve this question















      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question








      edited 3 hours ago









      0m3r

      8,02292554




      8,02292554










      asked 4 hours ago









      bongbangbongbang

      607720




      607720
























          2 Answers
          2






          active

          oldest

          votes


















          7














          regex = r"s*{2,}[sn]"


          This matches 2 or more * chars, surrounded by whitespace (or ended with a newline)



          Call it maybe like this?



          regex = r"s*{2,}[sn]"


          def replacer(match):
          return 'x' * len(match.group())

          re.sub(regex, replacer, your_string_here)





          share|improve this answer
























          • You gave me a good idea for the use of the replacer function, but your pattern, by including the spaces in the match, would seem to turn this **** string into this******string, which is not I want. It would also not replace **** this string, which I do want to replace. That said, I now have a solution that works thanks to you. Thank you.

            – bongbang
            3 hours ago





















          0














          This answer is inspired Danielle M.'s. This pattern below seems to give me what I want. The rest is the same as hers.



          regex = r'(?<![a-zA-Z])*{2,}(?![a-zA-Z])'





          share|improve this answer























            Your Answer






            StackExchange.ifUsing("editor", function () {
            StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function () {
            StackExchange.using("snippets", function () {
            StackExchange.snippets.init();
            });
            });
            }, "code-snippets");

            StackExchange.ready(function() {
            var channelOptions = {
            tags: "".split(" "),
            id: "1"
            };
            initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);

            StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
            // Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
            if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
            StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
            createEditor();
            });
            }
            else {
            createEditor();
            }
            });

            function createEditor() {
            StackExchange.prepareEditor({
            heartbeatType: 'answer',
            autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
            convertImagesToLinks: true,
            noModals: true,
            showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
            reputationToPostImages: 10,
            bindNavPrevention: true,
            postfix: "",
            imageUploader: {
            brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
            contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
            allowUrls: true
            },
            onDemand: true,
            discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
            ,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
            });


            }
            });














            draft saved

            draft discarded


















            StackExchange.ready(
            function () {
            StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fstackoverflow.com%2fquestions%2f55389122%2freplace-character-with-another-only-if-repeated-and-not-part-of-a-word%23new-answer', 'question_page');
            }
            );

            Post as a guest















            Required, but never shown

























            2 Answers
            2






            active

            oldest

            votes








            2 Answers
            2






            active

            oldest

            votes









            active

            oldest

            votes






            active

            oldest

            votes









            7














            regex = r"s*{2,}[sn]"


            This matches 2 or more * chars, surrounded by whitespace (or ended with a newline)



            Call it maybe like this?



            regex = r"s*{2,}[sn]"


            def replacer(match):
            return 'x' * len(match.group())

            re.sub(regex, replacer, your_string_here)





            share|improve this answer
























            • You gave me a good idea for the use of the replacer function, but your pattern, by including the spaces in the match, would seem to turn this **** string into this******string, which is not I want. It would also not replace **** this string, which I do want to replace. That said, I now have a solution that works thanks to you. Thank you.

              – bongbang
              3 hours ago


















            7














            regex = r"s*{2,}[sn]"


            This matches 2 or more * chars, surrounded by whitespace (or ended with a newline)



            Call it maybe like this?



            regex = r"s*{2,}[sn]"


            def replacer(match):
            return 'x' * len(match.group())

            re.sub(regex, replacer, your_string_here)





            share|improve this answer
























            • You gave me a good idea for the use of the replacer function, but your pattern, by including the spaces in the match, would seem to turn this **** string into this******string, which is not I want. It would also not replace **** this string, which I do want to replace. That said, I now have a solution that works thanks to you. Thank you.

              – bongbang
              3 hours ago
















            7












            7








            7







            regex = r"s*{2,}[sn]"


            This matches 2 or more * chars, surrounded by whitespace (or ended with a newline)



            Call it maybe like this?



            regex = r"s*{2,}[sn]"


            def replacer(match):
            return 'x' * len(match.group())

            re.sub(regex, replacer, your_string_here)





            share|improve this answer













            regex = r"s*{2,}[sn]"


            This matches 2 or more * chars, surrounded by whitespace (or ended with a newline)



            Call it maybe like this?



            regex = r"s*{2,}[sn]"


            def replacer(match):
            return 'x' * len(match.group())

            re.sub(regex, replacer, your_string_here)






            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered 3 hours ago









            Danielle M.Danielle M.

            2,2051623




            2,2051623













            • You gave me a good idea for the use of the replacer function, but your pattern, by including the spaces in the match, would seem to turn this **** string into this******string, which is not I want. It would also not replace **** this string, which I do want to replace. That said, I now have a solution that works thanks to you. Thank you.

              – bongbang
              3 hours ago





















            • You gave me a good idea for the use of the replacer function, but your pattern, by including the spaces in the match, would seem to turn this **** string into this******string, which is not I want. It would also not replace **** this string, which I do want to replace. That said, I now have a solution that works thanks to you. Thank you.

              – bongbang
              3 hours ago



















            You gave me a good idea for the use of the replacer function, but your pattern, by including the spaces in the match, would seem to turn this **** string into this******string, which is not I want. It would also not replace **** this string, which I do want to replace. That said, I now have a solution that works thanks to you. Thank you.

            – bongbang
            3 hours ago







            You gave me a good idea for the use of the replacer function, but your pattern, by including the spaces in the match, would seem to turn this **** string into this******string, which is not I want. It would also not replace **** this string, which I do want to replace. That said, I now have a solution that works thanks to you. Thank you.

            – bongbang
            3 hours ago















            0














            This answer is inspired Danielle M.'s. This pattern below seems to give me what I want. The rest is the same as hers.



            regex = r'(?<![a-zA-Z])*{2,}(?![a-zA-Z])'





            share|improve this answer




























              0














              This answer is inspired Danielle M.'s. This pattern below seems to give me what I want. The rest is the same as hers.



              regex = r'(?<![a-zA-Z])*{2,}(?![a-zA-Z])'





              share|improve this answer


























                0












                0








                0







                This answer is inspired Danielle M.'s. This pattern below seems to give me what I want. The rest is the same as hers.



                regex = r'(?<![a-zA-Z])*{2,}(?![a-zA-Z])'





                share|improve this answer













                This answer is inspired Danielle M.'s. This pattern below seems to give me what I want. The rest is the same as hers.



                regex = r'(?<![a-zA-Z])*{2,}(?![a-zA-Z])'






                share|improve this answer












                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer










                answered 3 hours ago









                bongbangbongbang

                607720




                607720






























                    draft saved

                    draft discarded




















































                    Thanks for contributing an answer to Stack Overflow!


                    • Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!

                    But avoid



                    • Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.

                    • Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.


                    To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.




                    draft saved


                    draft discarded














                    StackExchange.ready(
                    function () {
                    StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fstackoverflow.com%2fquestions%2f55389122%2freplace-character-with-another-only-if-repeated-and-not-part-of-a-word%23new-answer', 'question_page');
                    }
                    );

                    Post as a guest















                    Required, but never shown





















































                    Required, but never shown














                    Required, but never shown












                    Required, but never shown







                    Required, but never shown

































                    Required, but never shown














                    Required, but never shown












                    Required, but never shown







                    Required, but never shown







                    Popular posts from this blog

                    Knooppunt Holsloot

                    Altaar (religie)

                    Gregoriusmis