Preg_match problem

[sastro]

$str='....

<content:encoded>This is the embeded content</content:encoded>

...';

 

I want to get the text "This is the embeded content"

I'm using

preg_match('/<content:encoded>(.*)<\/content:encoded>/i',$str,$match); and

preg_match('/<content\:encoded>(.*)<\/content\:encoded>/i',$str,$match);

and print_r($match); but array is empty

 

Please help

 

[cags]

In theory your first pattern is correct, it depends on the context in which it is used. Since by default the . match will be greedy you could end up matching more than you want to. If you are trying to say it's not currently working I would guess you need to add the s modifier so that the . matches \n characters.

[sastro]

It works with s modifier. Thank you very much

[nrg_alpha]

@sastro,

 

Just be careful about using .* as depending on the string in question, it might match more than you expected. Typically, it will match as much as it can, then backtrack to the last instance of </content:encoded> found (which may, or may not be desirable).

 

You can read up about the pitfalls of using greedy quantifiers here (post #11 and #14 in particular).