REGEX(3) REGEX(3) NAME re_comp, re_exec - regular expression handler SYNOPSIS char *re_comp(s) char *s; re_exec(s) char *s; DESCRIPTION Re_comp compiles a string into an internal form suitable for pattern matching. Re_exec checks the argument string against the last string passed to re_comp. Re_comp returns 0 if the string s was compiled successfully; otherwise a string containing an error message is returned. If re_comp is passed 0 or a null string, it returns without changing the currently compiled regular expression. Re_exec returns 1 if the string s matches the last compiled regular expression, 0 if the string s failed to match the last compiled regular expression, and -1 if the compiled regular expression was invalid (indicating an internal error). The strings passed to both re_comp and re_exec may have trailing or embedded newline characters; they are terminated by nulls. The regular expressions recognized are described in the manual entry for ed(1), given the above difference. SEE ALSO ed(1), ex(1), egrep(1), fgrep(1), grep(1) DIAGNOSTICS Re_exec returns -1 for an internal error. Re_comp returns one of the following strings if an error occurs: No previous regular expression, Regular expression too long, unmatched \(, missing ], too many \(\) pairs, unmatched \). 3rd Berkeley Distribution May 15, 1985 REGEX(3)