python regular expression repeating pattern matching entire string

Question

I am working with python regular expression basics .I have a string

startabcsdendsffstartsdfsdfendsstartdfsfend.

How do i get the strings in between consecutive start and end without matching the entire string?

hannes · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-04 13:42:04Z

6

use the start.*?end in the re. The question mark means "as few as possible".

answered Mar 4, 2013 at 13:42

hannes

9849 silver badges13 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

3 Comments

Almost - just needs a capture group adding to exclude the terminators from the result group start(.*?)end

This answer should be correct. For further googling needs, you should search of "greedy" vs "non-greedy" regular expressions.

exactly what I was looking for

Patricio Molina · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-04 14:04:59Z

4

>>> s = "startabcsdendsffstartsdfsdfendsstartdfsfend."
>>> import re
>>> p = re.compile('start(.*?)end')
>>> p.findall(s)
['abcsd', 'sdfsdf', 'dfsf']

answered Mar 4, 2013 at 14:04

Patricio Molina

3901 silver badge7 bronze badges