verstra@programming.dev
on 04 Jul 2024 21:04
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Today, to configure fail2ban. Before that, yesterday to select which tests to run.
nik9000@programming.dev
on 04 Jul 2024 22:59
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Usually I use glob patterns for test selection.
But I did use reges yesterday to find something else. A java security file definition.
FizzyOrange@programming.dev
on 04 Jul 2024 21:24
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We use it for triaging test failure (running tens of thousands of tests for CPU design verification).
That use is acceptable because it is purely informational. In general you should avoid regexes at all costs. They’re difficult to read, and easy to get wrong. Generally they are a very big red flag.
Unfortunately they tend to get used where they shouldn’t due to lazy developers not parsing things properly.
Dropkick3038@programming.dev
on 07 Jul 2024 19:38
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regexes are a well established solution for parsing strings. what exactly is the “proper” alternative you propose?
spartanatreyu@programming.dev
on 08 Jul 2024 02:01
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There are some tools/libraries that act as a front-layer over regex.
They basically follow the same logic as ORMs for databases:
Get rid of the bottom layer to make some hidden footguns harder to trigger
Make the used layer closer to the way the surrounding language is used.
But there’s no common standard, and it’s always language specific.
Personally I think using linters is the best option since it will highlight the footguns and recommend simpler regexes. (e.g. Swapping [0-9] for \d)
spartanatreyu@programming.dev
on 05 Jul 2024 00:02
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At least once every few days while coding, usually to do one of the following:
Select multiple things in the same file at the same time without needing to click all over the place
Normally I use multicursor keyboard shortcuts to select what I want and for the trickier scenarios there are also commands to go through selections one at a time so you can skip certain matches to end up with only what you want.
But sometimes there are too many false matches that you don’t want to select by hand and that’s where regex comes in handy.
For instance, finding:
parent but not apparent, transparent, parentheses, apparently, transparently
test but not latest, fastest, testing, greatest, shortest
trie but not entries, retries, countries, retrieve
http but not https
… which can be easily done by searching for a word that doesn’t include a letter immediately before or immediately after: e.g. \Wtest\W.
Search for things across all files that come back with too many results that aren’t relevant
Basically using the same things above.
Finding something I already know makes a pattern. Like finding all years: \d{4}, finding all versions: \d+\.\d+\.\d+, finding random things that a linter may have missed such as two empty lines touching each other: \n\s*\n\s*\n, etc…
zero_spelled_with_an_ecks@programming.dev
on 05 Jul 2024 04:37
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Yesterday. Gotta grep those logs.
Kissaki@programming.dev
on 05 Jul 2024 06:15
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Earlier this week for a character range.
/edit: Now I remember. For setting up a new entry in Jenkins CI build failure analysis - identifying the build failure cause in the log.
livingcoder@programming.dev
on 05 Jul 2024 11:28
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Yesterday doing a search using vim for a class that shared a lot of characters at the front with many other classes: /Bas.*Some
I could have done a more precise search with better regex, but this was quick, easy, and worked.
towerful@programming.dev
on 05 Jul 2024 12:41
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Interesting to see a lot of these responses (so far) are workflow related instead of being used in production.
sukhmel@programming.dev
on 06 Jul 2024 14:52
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Probably, because in production there are really few things that are best done with regex. Most use I had for regex in production is filling in data from user-provided files with specifically crafted names, and even there there was some guesswork because of errors in naming, and the same thing may have been achieved without regex by splitting and/or iterating
Dropkick3038@programming.dev
on 05 Jul 2024 12:58
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Today.
NostraDavid@programming.dev
on 05 Jul 2024 13:26
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Yesterday, when I had a file with a list of JSON objects, and I wanted to move the date field at the end to the beginning, so I used regex find and replace to move it. Something like \{(.*?), (“date”: “.*?”) in Search, and then {$2, $1 in replace (or something close to it).
Yes, I refactor code and data using regex. I can’t be arsed to learn AWK (even though I should).
If we want to include every protocol then the RE could be complex.
sukhmel@programming.dev
on 06 Jul 2024 14:47
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Depending on the use-case it maybe should. On the other hand, some things are better left to library implementations rather than custom regex, e.g. email validation
bitcrafter@programming.dev
on 05 Jul 2024 16:59
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I don’t always use regular expressions, but when I do, I use it to parse XML,
iirc using RE to parse tag languages is not recommended.
bitcrafter@programming.dev
on 05 Jul 2024 18:06
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Sure, but if you are not regularly expressing code that has the potential of summoning elder gods that will swallow your soul into a dimension of ceaseless screaming then are you really living?
I just wanted to make a list of AD group names into a powershell array.
lysdexic@programming.dev
on 06 Jul 2024 08:20
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Asking this question is like asking when was the last time you had to search through text.
corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca
on 06 Jul 2024 09:28
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This sentence is the uncanny valley for structure.
Oneironaut21@ani.social
on 06 Jul 2024 18:55
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On average I’ve probably had to work with them or write one from scratch only a handful of times per year over my career. Not often enough to be an expert or anything but I’m not so afraid of them as I used to be.
tiredofsametab@kbin.run
on 08 Jul 2024 02:11
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Actually writing code that uses them: last month. Commandline: last week.
threaded - newest
Today, to configure fail2ban. Before that, yesterday to select which tests to run.
Usually I use glob patterns for test selection.
But I did use reges yesterday to find something else. A java security file definition.
We use it for triaging test failure (running tens of thousands of tests for CPU design verification).
That use is acceptable because it is purely informational. In general you should avoid regexes at all costs. They’re difficult to read, and easy to get wrong. Generally they are a very big red flag.
Unfortunately they tend to get used where they shouldn’t due to lazy developers not parsing things properly.
regexes are a well established solution for parsing strings. what exactly is the “proper” alternative you propose?
There are some tools/libraries that act as a front-layer over regex.
They basically follow the same logic as ORMs for databases:
But there’s no common standard, and it’s always language specific.
Personally I think using linters is the best option since it will highlight the footguns and recommend simpler regexes. (e.g. Swapping
[0-9]for\d)At least once every few days while coding, usually to do one of the following:
Select multiple things in the same file at the same time without needing to click all over the place
Normally I use multicursor keyboard shortcuts to select what I want and for the trickier scenarios there are also commands to go through selections one at a time so you can skip certain matches to end up with only what you want.
But sometimes there are too many false matches that you don’t want to select by hand and that’s where regex comes in handy.
For instance, finding:
… which can be easily done by searching for a word that doesn’t include a letter immediately before or immediately after: e.g.
\Wtest\W.Search for things across all files that come back with too many results that aren’t relevant
Basically using the same things above.
Finding something I already know makes a pattern. Like finding all years:
\d{4}, finding all versions:\d+\.\d+\.\d+, finding random things that a linter may have missed such as two empty lines touching each other:\n\s*\n\s*\n, etc…Yesterday. Gotta grep those logs.
Earlier this week for a character range.
/edit: Now I remember. For setting up a new entry in Jenkins CI build failure analysis - identifying the build failure cause in the log.
Yesterday doing a search using vim for a class that shared a lot of characters at the front with many other classes: /Bas.*Some I could have done a more precise search with better regex, but this was quick, easy, and worked.
Interesting to see a lot of these responses (so far) are workflow related instead of being used in production.
Probably, because in production there are really few things that are best done with regex. Most use I had for regex in production is filling in data from user-provided files with specifically crafted names, and even there there was some guesswork because of errors in naming, and the same thing may have been achieved without regex by splitting and/or iterating
Today.
Yesterday, when I had a file with a list of JSON objects, and I wanted to move the date field at the end to the beginning, so I used regex find and replace to move it. Something like
\{(.*?), (“date”: “.*?”)in Search, and then{$2, $1in replace (or something close to it).Yes, I refactor code and data using regex. I can’t be arsed to learn AWK (even though I should).
AWK doesn’t work with json IIRC. You have to use jq to deal with json.
While yes, the way I had it structured looked like a CSV if you squinted a little, I do fully agree AWK can’t be used for just any old JSON.
jqis dope, but that language still feels pretty confusing IMO.Every day pretty much with Unix tools. Vim, awk, sed, etc.
Usually many times a day… Even today which have been mostly meetings.
Writing the script that got me fired
I hope you are joking
Please explain more! What happened?
Did you destroy a database? Expose credentials? Nuke the company intentionally?
Yesterday, for capturing URLs.
https?//[a-zA-Z0-9_-]*
I am kinda learning RE right now 😅
What about ftp? 🤔
If we want to include every protocol then the RE could be complex.
Depending on the use-case it maybe should. On the other hand, some things are better left to library implementations rather than custom regex, e.g. email validation
I don’t always use regular expressions, but when I do, I use it to parse XML,
iirc using RE to parse tag languages is not recommended.
Sure, but if you are not regularly expressing code that has the potential of summoning elder gods that will swallow your soul into a dimension of ceaseless screaming then are you really living?
A few hours ago.
I just wanted to make a list of AD group names into a powershell array.
Asking this question is like asking when was the last time you had to search through text.
This sentence is the uncanny valley for structure.
On average I’ve probably had to work with them or write one from scratch only a handful of times per year over my career. Not often enough to be an expert or anything but I’m not so afraid of them as I used to be.
Actually writing code that uses them: last month. Commandline: last week.
I used it to check a user input format.