Search & Replace in Text files - With a RegEx Variable Pattern

Question

I am trying to replace a string in each file lets call the string XXX I would like to replace it with the regex pattern variable text found between Start and END

Currently it simply replaces the word, and then just does not replace.

$Pat1 = [regex]  '(START)*(END)'      # Find Variable between these 2 first

Get-ChildItem * -Recurse | Where-Object {
    $_.Attributes -ne "Directory"
} | ForEach-Object {
    (Get-Content $_) -replace "XXX","$Pat1" | Set-Content -path $_
}

Example Text Below

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Quisque porttitor augue quis urna suscipit lobortis. Cras eu magna sem. Quisque dictum feugiat convallis.

START File Name 1 END Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Quisque porttitor augue quis urna suscipit lobortis. Cras eu magna sem. Quisque dictum feugiat convallis.

XXX Vestibulum risus quam, volutpat iaculis ipsum in, vehicula dictum urna. Suspendisse dui tortor, faucibus et tellus vitae, malesuada consequat velit.

=================================

You never executed a match for $Pat1, so you're replacing with a null value. — TheMadTechnician
– TheMadTechnician, Commented Mar 5, 2016 at 1:32
I have been trying this also: Foreach-Object {$_ -replace "XXX", "(?i)(?<=START ).*?(?= *END)"} | - nothing seems to work :( — wp44
– wp44, Commented Mar 5, 2016 at 6:25
Con you give exemple of what you've got in your files and what you want to obtain. — JPBlanc
– JPBlanc, Commented Mar 5, 2016 at 7:49

Frode F. · Accepted Answer · 2016-03-05 16:05:11Z

0

The question is very unclear, but I'm guessing that you want to replace XXX with the value between START and END in the file and the not regex-pattern itself. If so, try this:

$Pat1 = [regex]  'START(.*?)END'      #Find Variable between these 2 first

Get-ChildItem * -Recurse  | Where-Object { -not $_.PSIsContainer } |
ForEach-Object {
    $text = (Get-Content $_ -Raw)
    $value = [regex]::Match($text, $Pat1).Groups[1].Value
    $text -replace "XXX",$value | Set-Content -path $_
}

Be aware the -replace works like 'text' -replace 'regex-pattern', 'stringvalue' The right value does not accept a regex-pattern, but only a string (which may include $0,$1 etc. to add the full match, captured group 1 etc.)

edited Mar 5, 2016 at 16:05

answered Mar 5, 2016 at 12:23

Frode F.

55.4k9 gold badges104 silver badges118 bronze badges

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

5 Comments

wp44 Over a year ago

Hi Frode, sadly it did not replace :( - hence I posted the sample The XXX is removed from file only

Frode F. Over a year ago

It works for me. It replaced XXX with File Name 1. Nothing changed? What PowerShell version are you using? Does it work if you change to $text = (Get-Content $_ -Raw)?

wp44 Over a year ago

Frode - Smashing Man - thank you! I am using the Powershell 5.0 - it worked!!

wp44 Over a year ago

Frode - just a quick question , if I have multiple XXX in the same file will all of them get replaced ?

wp44 Over a year ago

Thank you :) - It worked - I am grateful for your help . I spent ages yesterday trying to figure this out.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Search & Replace in Text files - With a RegEx Variable Pattern

Example Text Below

1 Answer 1

5 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Example Text Below

1 Answer 1

5 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related