java.util.regex question (original) (raw)

Hello All,

I'm fiddling with the regex package in the Java 1.5 beta release, and trying to wrap my head around it.

So that I can understand it better, I'm trying to create a method that will match key/value pairs for a Properties instance out of a String. The String lacks any carriage returns, by design, and is in the simple form of key1=value1;key2=value2;...;keyN=valueN

The logic of the whole method is not my problem, it is getting a proper regex pattern to match.

I'm trying to use the reluctant matching, as, from what I understand (from briefling reading over a perl book on regexs) that should match the smallest appearance of the given pattern.

My pattern is:
;?+(.+?)=(.+?)

Which, from what I gather should match zero or one ;s, then a key=value pair, but not more. I haven't actually tested it yet (as I have to get to work -- running out of time to play with this), but does that look right?

Comments and improvements would be appreciated.