Question

I'd like to put a portion of the search results into a variable and use that variable elsewhere. Better yet, I would like to use the result portion in a view template. Simply put, the following search tells me how many registered users I have:

%SEARCH{ "[N]ame:;Email:;Location:" web="Main" type="regex" nosummary="on" nosearch="on" format="$nop"}%

which results in something like: "Number of topics: 780"

I am not a regex guru - I was hoping someone could point me to a solution -- using the value in a VIEW template is my ultimate goal.

Thanks

Environment

-- SteveRJones - 27 Feb 2006

Answer

If you answer a question - or someone answered one of your questions - please remember to edit the page and set the status to answered. The status selector is below the edit box.

If you just want to calculate the total, use a spreadsheet formula to increase a counter on each hit, then read the counter elsewhere.

Example:

%CALC{$SET(total,0)}%
%SEARCH{ "testing" type="regex" nosearch="on" nototal="on" format="$percntCALC{$SETM(total,+1)}$percnt" }%
The total is: %CALC{$GET(total)}%

Output:

The total is: 320

You can do more fancy stuff, such as conditionals based on a $pattern() in the FormattedSearch.

-- PeterThoeny - 27 Feb 2006

Ack, I never thought of that! But $pattern and regex's still have me stymied. Peter, I learn by typically testing and watching how code iteratively operates - but using $pattern is typically an all or nothing - it either works or it doesn't and all my attempts seem to not work. Any pointers to some really good tutorials on making regex' work?

Thanks

-- SteveRJones - 28 Feb 2006

It takes some time to get used to regular expressions. TWiki's doc is at RegularExpression. I learned a lot from the Perl Camel book, ISBN:0-596-00027-8

Check out also:

• Perl regular expressions doc - http://www.perl.com/doc/manual/html/pod/perlre.html
• The Regex Coach - http://www.weitz.de/regex-coach/
• Perl Regular Expression Tutorial - http://virtual.park.uga.edu/humcomp/perl/regex2a.html

-- PeterThoeny - 28 Feb 2006

Ok, I just purchased used books from Amazon - Perl book and master Regular Expressions. I'm determined!

Thanks Peter!

-- SteveRJones - 28 Feb 2006

Remembers me to have a look into my copy of Mastering Regular Expressions once in a while. Did get this as christmas present two years ago.

-- FranzJosefSilli - 28 Feb 2006