EditPad regex Help

[SkyFrontier]

Hi again.

How do I regex a filename so the files themselves are erased leaving paths only behind, with trailing '\'s? TIA!

As a general rule, the rightmost element of the last '\' can be considered as a file, even if it's lacking any extension or it's actually a folder.

Inputs:
c:\my\path\file.exe
d\another\random\path\_item

Outputs:
c:\my\path\
d\another\random\path\

[Marco]

Code: Select all

^.*\\(?=.*?$)

[SkyFrontier]

Hi, Marco, thanks for popping out.

It's producing the opposite, ie, taking out the paths, leaving the files behind.

Tried

Code: Select all

(^.*\\)?=.*?$

just to have some random mess.


In a variant task, I'd need to have just the parent folders as outputs. Please?
Inputs:
c:\my\path\file.exe
d\another\random\another path\_item

Outputs:
path
another path

Regards - and congrats for the awesome Archive!

[Marco]

It's producing the opposite, ie, taking out the paths, leaving the files behind.

So you don't want to match the paths, you want to replace with nothing (aka remove) the files? Subtle difference ... With the regex I gave you then you could click on "Copy matches" to have those paths. If you want to zap instead the filenames, then use this

Code: Select all

[^\\]*?$

, leaving the Replace box empty.

For the other task, use this

Code: Select all

(?<=^.*\\)[^\\]+?(?=\\[^\\]+?$)

to match the parent folders. Choose this route, instead of deleting the rest.

[SkyFrontier]

Hi, Marco. First task done.

But again - the other code is matching parent folders, thus replacing them by nothing; I need the other way round!

See...?

Code: Select all

Inputs:
c:\my\path\file.exe
d\another\random\another path\_item

Outputs:
path
another path

...or is it something I should change in replacement GUI I am missing...?

[Marco]

I told you that that regex matches the parent folders! I don't understand, if you need the parent folders, why you insist on deleting the rest? Copy the matches!

[SkyFrontier]

...didn't know I could do it that way, sorry...
Old dog got a new trick, thanks!

[SkyFrontier]

Downside of this method: way too slow compared to the regular '-del-right-on-the-document', when exporting to the clipboard from a 200 MB source file.

...waaaaaaaay too slow.