man(1) Manual page archive


     REGEX(3)                  (deprecated)                   REGEX(3)

     NAME
          re_comp, re_exec - regular expression handler

     SYNOPSIS
          char *re_comp(s)
          char *s;

          re_exec(s)
          char *s;

     DESCRIPTION
          Re_comp compiles a regular expression into an internal form
          suitable for pattern matching. Re_exec checks the argument
          string against the last string passed to re_comp.

          Re_comp returns 0 if the string s was compiled successfully;
          otherwise a string containing an error message is returned.
          If re_comp is passed 0 or a null string, it returns without
          changing the currently compiled regular expression.

          Re_exec returns 1 if the string s matches the last compiled
          regular expression, 0 if the string s failed to match the
          last compiled regular expression, and -1 if the compiled
          regular expression was invalid (indicating an internal
          error).

          The strings passed to both re_comp and re_exec may have
          trailing or embedded newline characters; they are terminated
          by nulls.  The regular expressions are otherwise as
          described for ed(1).

     SEE ALSO
          ed(1), expr(1), regexp(3)

     DIAGNOSTICS
          Re_exec returns -1 for an internal error.

     BUGS
          These routines have been superseded by the more general rou-
          tines of regexp(3). They have been retained only for compat-
          ibility.