"Michael Spencer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message news:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Roger L. Cauvin wrote: > >>>> "xyz123aaabbab" accept >>>> "xyz123aabbaaab" reject >>>> "xayz123aaabab" accept >>>> "xaaayz123abab" reject >>>> "xaaayz123aaabab" accept >>>> > This passes your tests. I haven't closely followed the thread for other > requirements: > > >>> pattern = ".*?(?<![a+b])aaab" #look for aaab not preceded by any a+b
Very interesting. I think you may have solved the problem. The key seems to be the "not preceded by" part. I'm unfamiliar with some of the notation. Can you explain what "[a+b]" and the "(?<!" do? -- Roger L. Cauvin [EMAIL PROTECTED] (omit the "nospam_" part) Cauvin, Inc. Product Management / Market Research http://www.cauvin-inc.com -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
