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regexvimregex-lookaroundsvim-pluginneovim

How can I use Neovim regex to make a separated selection (of two characters not following one another)?

I'm attempting to replace all strings in a text file surrounded by single quotes and ending with an @ first followed by any number and then any mix of any other letter(s) or #(s) like these:

'[email protected]'
'otherpackage@14'
'[email protected]'

and I wish to select only the single quotes and remove them like so:

export MYVAR="/dir/'[email protected]':$MYVAR"

to:

export MYVAR="/dir/[email protected]:$MYVAR"

in the entire file. I figured out a way to remove the proceeding single quote and preceding single quote in two separate commands (using vim's zs and ze, similar to positive and negative lookarounds):

:%s/'.*@.[0-9]*.*\zs'//g 
:%s/\zs'\ze.*@.[0-9]*.*//g

However, I am curious about doing it in a single operation as I want to learn more about using Neovim, and apply the answer to future operations.

I am actually using Neovim, if that comes with any additional features related to this.

Solution

  • You need to use

    %s/'\([^@'0-9]*@[0-9][^']*\)'/\1/g

    Details:

    • ' - a single quote
    • \( - start of a capturing group
      • [^@'0-9]* - zero or more chars other than @, ' and digits
      • @ - a @ char
      • [0-9] - a digit
      • [^']* - zero or more chars other than a ' char
    • \)' - end of the capturing group.

    The replacement is \1, the Group 1 backreference/placeholder.