Putting a `?` after a quantifier like `*` or `+` indicates that you want
it to be _lazy_ instead of _greedy_. In short, this means that the
quantifier will match the shortest string possible rather than the
longest string possible.
For example, take the text `aaabaaba`. The pattern `.*b` will match
`aaabaab`, while the pattern `.*?b` will match `aaab`.
In your pattern the `?` is unnecessary because the pattern is anchored
to the end of the line with `$`. That makes the shortest and longest
possible matches for `.+` the same. But it doesn’t hurt either. I tend
to make my quantifiers lazy with `?` unless I have a reason not to.
Your pattern can be read as “match a literal backslash, followed by
one or more of any character (lazily), followed by the end of the
line”.
Hope this helps.
-sam
On 19 Dec 2019, at 11:58, Howard wrote:
I am new both to BBEdit and to GREP and have a question about this
GREP
code:
\\.+?$
It is used in Search's Find box to remove all text from the backslash
on,
and is accompanied by no value in the Replace box.
*Sample Input*
Tyler Rogers\rogerty01
*Desired Output*
Tyler Rogers
I understand that the two backslashes seek the backslashes in my text,
that
the "." seeks "any character except a ‘hard’ line break" after the
backslash, and that the "$" continues the search to the line's end.
But
what does the question mark do?
Howard
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