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pythonregexregex-lookarounds

Using regex in python to remove double quotes with exclusions

I'm trying to remove specific double quotes from text using regular expression in python. I would like to leave only those double quotes which indicate an inch. So this would mean leave any double quote following a number.

txt = 'measurement 1/2" and 3" "remove" end" a " multiple"""

Expected output: measurement 1/2" and 3" remove end a multiple

This is the closest I've got.

re.sub(r'[^(?!\d+/\d+")]"+', '', txt)

Solution

  • Simply use

    (?<!\d)"+

    See a demo on regex101.com.

    Your original expression

    [^(?!\d+/\d+")]

    basically meant not (, ?, !, etc.

    Alternatively, you could use the newer regex module with (*SKIP)(*FAIL):

    import regex as re

junk = '''measurement 1/2" and 3" "remove" end" a " multiple"""
ABC2DEF3"'''

rx = re.compile(r'\b\d(?:/\d+)?"(*SKIP)(*FAIL)|"+')

cleaned = rx.sub('', junk)
print(cleaned)

    Which would yield

    measurement 1/2" and 3" remove end a  multiple
ABC2DEF3