VBScript Tutorials - Herong's Tutorial Examples - Version 5.20, by Dr. Herong Yang

Example of Regular Expression Match and Replacement

This section provides a tutorial example of how to perform a pattern match and replacement with a regular expression using RegExp objects. Examples of sub matches are also included.

Now we ready to see a VBScript example of using a RegExp object to perform a pattern match with a regular expression:

<html>
<body>
<!-- regexp_match.html
 - Copyright (c) 2015, HerongYang.com, All Rights Reserved.
-->
<pre>
<script language="vbscript">
   Dim oRegExp
   Set oRegExp = New RegExp
   
   ' A pattern to match any email address. 
   ' 2 sub matches defined in the pattern.
   oRegExp.Pattern = "(\w+)@(\w+)\.com"

   ' Repeat matches on the entire string
   oRegExp.Global = True

   ' Ignore cases while matching the pattern
   oRegExp.IgnoreCase = True

   Dim sString
   sString = "Please write to Me@HerongYang.com for help, " _
      & "or Support@MicroSoft.COM to report bugs."

   bFound = oRegExp.Test(sString)
   document.writeln()
   document.writeln("Any matches found: " & bFound)

   Dim sCopy
   sCopy = oRegExp.Replace(sString, "xxx@xxx.com")
   document.writeln()
   document.writeln("Email addresses replaced: " & sCopy)

   Dim oMatches
   Set oMatches = oRegExp.Execute(sString)
   document.writeln()
   document.writeln("Matches found: " & oMatches.Count)
   For Each oMatch In oMatches
      document.writeln("   Length = " & oMatch.Length)
      document.writeln("   FirstIndex = " & oMatch.FirstIndex)
      document.writeln("   Value = " & oMatch.Value)
      
      For Each sSubMatch In oMatch.Submatches
          document.writeln("      SubMatch = " & sSubMatch)
      Next
   Next
</script>
</pre>
</body>
</html>

Run this example code in IE, you will get:

Any matches found: True

Email addresses replaced: 
   Please write to xxx@xxx.com for help, 
   or xxx@xxx.com to report bugs.

Matches found: 2
   Length = 17
   FirstIndex = 16
   Value = Me@HerongYang.com
      SubMatch = Me
      SubMatch = HerongYang
   Length = 21
   FirstIndex = 47
   Value = Support@MicroSoft.COM
      SubMatch = Support
      SubMatch = MicroSoft

I hope this example covered everything you need to learn about regular expression in VBScript.

Table of Contents

 About This Book

 Introduction of VBScript - Visual Basic Scripting Edition

 Variant Data Type, Subtypes, and Literals

 Arithmetic Operations

 Numeric Comparison Operations and Logical Operations

 String Operations - Concatenation and Comparison

 Variable Declaration and Assignment Statement

 Expression and Order of Operation Precedence

 Statement Syntax and Statement Types

 Array Data Type and Related Statements

 Array References and Array Assignment Statements

 Conditional Statements - "If ... Then" and "Select Case"

 Loop Statements - "For", "While", and "Do"

 "Function" and "Sub" Procedures

 Built-in Functions

 Inspecting Variables Received in Procedures

 Error Handling Flag and the "Err" Object

Regular Expression Pattern Match and Replacement

 "RegExp" Class and Object for Regular Expression Support

 "MatchCollection" and "SubMatches" Collection Objects

 "Set oRegExp = New RegExp" - Creating RegExp Objects

Example of Regular Expression Match and Replacement

 scrrun.dll - Scripting Runtime DLL Library

 Creating Your Own Classes

 IE Web Browser Supporting VBScript

 IIS ASP Server Supporting VBScript

 WSH (Windows Script Host)

 References

 Printable Copy - PDF Version

Example of Regular Expression Match and Replacement - Updated in 2015, by Dr. Herong Yang