Match a line if there is something before a group of characters, at the start of the line

Asked Jan 21 '19 at 13:01

Active Jan 21 '19 at 13:06

Viewed 39 times

I am looking to check against a line that matches the regex pattern below (emojis that are used in this format :laugh:), but I want to check if that pattern has anything before it, at the start of the line. In other words, I am trying to enforce that an emoji must be placed at the start of a line (only when there is an emoji on the line).

The regex I have already.

:[a-zA-Z0-9-_]+:

Example that must match:

randomstuff :laugh: or any kind of string before the emoji

It should not match:

:laugh:
:laugh: random
random text without emoji

I can't use any programming specific features, as this is for Reddit's AutoModerator config.

edited Jan 21 '19 at 13:06

asked Jan 21 '19 at 13:01

ncla

2

Do you mean `.+:[a-...`? – TigerhawkT3 Jan 21 '19 at 13:03
What about leading spaces? Try `^[^:]+:[a-zA-Z0-9-_]+:` or `^.+:[a-zA-Z0-9-_]+:` if they should not prevent the match. Or, try `^\s*\S.*:[a-zA-Z0-9-_]+:` if a single non-whitespace char is required before the emoticon. See https://regex101.com/r/9wdunV/1 – Wiktor Stribiżew Jan 21 '19 at 13:03
@TigerhawkT3 that's just escaping the character, I've removed it now. sorry. – ncla Jan 21 '19 at 13:06
2

Look at the first two characters, `.+`. – TigerhawkT3 Jan 21 '19 at 13:06
@TigerhawkT3 huh, I thought I have to use some weird look around. I think this works. Silly me making everything more complicated. – ncla Jan 21 '19 at 13:09
@TigerhawkT3 I feel stupid haha. thanks a bunch regardless. – ncla Jan 21 '19 at 13:15

Match a line if there is something before a group of characters, at the start of the line

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