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regexregex-lookarounds

Regex only capture first match

I want to parse a string using regex, example of the string is

Lot: He said: Thou shalt not pass!

I want to capture Lot as a group, and He said: Thou shalt not pass!. However, when I used my (.+): (.+) pattern, it returns

Lot: He said: and Thou shalt not pass!

Is it possible to capture He said: Thou shalt not pass using regex?

Solution

  • You need a non-greedy (or lazy) cardinality for the first group: (.+?): (.+).

    More details on http://www.regular-expressions.info/repeat.html, chapter "Laziness Instead of Greediness".