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I have this java string with xml info and I am trying to use java regex to filter out all the junk that is between the words to form a word enclosed in brackets, e.g. [DEFENDANT].

I want to go from this: 

<w:p><w:r><w:t>[</w:t></w:r><st1:PlaceName w:st="on"><w:r><w:t>DEFENDANT</w:t></w:r>

</st1:PlaceName><w:r><w:t> </w:t></w:r><st1:PlaceType w:st="on"><w:r><w:t>CITY</w:t></w:r>

</st1:PlaceType><w:r><w:t>], [</w:t></w:r><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on"><w:r>

<w:t>DEFENDANT</w:t></w:r></st1:PlaceName><w:r><w:t> </w:t></w:r><st1:PlaceType w:st="on"><w:r>

<w:t>STATE</w:t></w:r></st1:PlaceType></st1:place><w:r><w:t>] [DEFENDANT ZIP]</w:r><w:r>

to this:

<w:p><w:r><w:t>[DEFENDANT CITY], [DEFENDANT STATE] [DEFENDANT ZIP]</w:r><w:r>

I have been testing with regex epression like (\[)<.+>+([A-Z ]+\]) on regexPlanet extensively to no avail.

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  • 6
    Using RegEx to parse XML is extremely difficult and clumsy. Is there a particular reason you don't want to use proper XML parsing, like DOM/SAX? Commented Apr 17, 2013 at 21:03
  • take a look at this answer, it is related to XML+regex as well ;) Use a SAX-Parser! Commented Apr 17, 2013 at 21:06
  • Can you guarantee that the XML is all on a text single line? Commented Apr 17, 2013 at 21:30

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Do not use Regex to parse XML. Just use the built in Java XML library.

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If it's all on a single line, like this:

<w:p><w:r><w:t>[</w:t></w:r><st1:PlaceName w:st="on"><w:r><w:t>DEFENDANT</w:t></w:r></st1:PlaceName><w:r><w:t> </w:t></w:r><st1:PlaceType w:st="on"><w:r><w:t>CITY</w:t></w:r></st1:PlaceType><w:r><w:t>], [</w:t></w:r><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on"><w:r><w:t>DEFENDANT</w:t></w:r></st1:PlaceName><w:r><w:t> </w:t></w:r><st1:PlaceType w:st="on"><w:r><w:t>STATE</w:t></w:r></st1:PlaceType></st1:place><w:r><w:t>] [DEFENDANT ZIP]</w:r><w:r>

Then this regex should work:

([<\w:\w>]+)(\[[</\w:\w>]+\s\w:\w+="\w+"><\w:\w><\w:\w>)(\w+)(</\w:\w></\w:\w></\w+:\w+><\w:\w><\w:\w>\s</\w:\w></\w:\w><\w+:\w+\s\w:\w+="\w+"><\w:\w><\w:\w>)(\w+)(</\w:\w></\w:\w></\w+:\w+><\w:\w><\w:\w>\],\s\[</\w:\w></\w:\w><\w+:\w+\s\w:\w+="\w+"><\w+:\w+\s\w:\w+="\w+"><\w:\w><\w:\w>)(\w+)(</\w:\w></\w:\w></\w+:\w+><\w:\w><\w:\w>\s</w:\w></\w:\w><\w+:\w+\s\w:\w+="\w+"><\w:\w><\w:\w>)(\w+)(</\w:\w></\w:\w></\w+:\w+></\w+:\w+><\w:\w><\w:\w>\]\s\[)(\w+\s\w+)(\])(</\w:\w><\w:\w>)

I have a working example here: RegExr

I could have grouped things a little better, but overall, it gets the job done, so you should be able to see it working.

Also, if it's not on a single line (if it's like it is in your example), then this would work:

([<\w:\w>]+)(\[[</\w:\w>]+\s\w:\w+="\w+"><\w:\w><\w:\w>)(\w+)(</\w:\w></\w:\w>\s+</\w+:\w+><\w:\w><\w:\w>\s</\w:\w></\w:\w><\w+:\w+\s\w:\w+="\w+"><\w:\w><\w:\w>)(\w+)(</\w:\w></\w:\w>\s+</\w+:\w+><\w:\w><\w:\w>\],\s\[</\w:\w></\w:\w><\w+:\w+\s\w:\w+="\w+"><\w+:\w+\s\w:\w+="\w+"><\w:\w>\s+<\w:\w>)(\w+)(</\w:\w></\w:\w></\w+:\w+><\w:\w><\w:\w>\s</w:\w></\w:\w><\w+:\w+\s\w:\w+="\w+"><\w:\w>\s+<\w:\w>)(\w+)(</\w:\w></\w:\w></\w+:\w+></\w+:\w+><\w:\w><\w:\w>\]\s\[)(\w+\s\w+)(\])(</\w:\w><\w:\w>)

You can see that on RegExr here.

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