`asManyOfPattern`

Pattern that matches another pattern repeatedly, taking as many repetitions as possible.

Category: Language Fundamentals > Data Types

Syntax

newPat = asManyOfPattern(pat)

Matches pat one or more times, greedily.

newPat = asManyOfPattern(pat, minLength)

Requires at least minLength repetitions.

Description

The pattern consumes as many consecutive repetitions of pat as it finds, then lets the rest of a larger pattern continue from there. If a later part fails, it gives repetitions back until a match is possible.

It is the pattern-object equivalent of the + quantifier in a regular expression. A run shorter than minLength is not matched.

Input arguments

pat: A pattern, or text that is converted to a pattern.
minLength: Minimum number of repetitions.

Output arguments

newPat: A pattern object.

Example

Runs of a letter

extract('aaabaa', asManyOfPattern('a'))
extract('aaabaa', asManyOfPattern('a', 3))

Output

ans = 2×1 string array

    "aaa"
    "aa"
ans = "aaa"

asManyOfPattern