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DEC Text Processing Utility Data Types
3.7 Pattern Data Type
for the pattern, the built-in returns a range that contains the text that matches
the pattern. You can assign the range to a variable.
The following example uses strings and pattern operators to create a pattern that
is stored in the variable my_pat. The variable is then used with the SEARCH
or SEARCH_QUIETLY built-in procedure in a forward direction. If SEARCH
or SEARCH_QUIETLY finds a match for my_pat, the range of matching text is
stored in the variable match_range. The POSITION built-in procedure causes the
editing point to move to the beginning of match_range.
my_pat := ("abc" | "def") + "::";
match_range := SEARCH (my_pat, FORWARD);
POSITION (match_range);
3.7.1 Using Pattern Built-In Procedures and Keywords
The following built-in procedures return values of the pattern data type:
• ANY
• ARB
• MATCH
• NOTANY
• SCAN
• SCANL
•SPAN
• SPANL
See the DEC Text Processing Utility Reference Manual for a complete description
of these pattern built-in procedures.
3.7.2 Using Keywords to Build Patterns
You can use the following keywords as the first argument to the SEARCH or
SEARCH_QUIETLY built-in procedures. You can also use them to form patterns
in expressions that use the pattern operators. See the DEC Text Processing
Utility Reference Manual for a complete description of these keywords.
• ANCHOR
• BUFFER_BEGIN
• BUFFER_END
• LINE_BEGIN
• LINE_END
• PAGE_BREAK
• REMAIN
• UNANCHOR
3–12 DEC Text Processing Utility Data Types