Regular Expression to Match Blank Characters outside Multiline Comments

[Laser Lu]

Hi, all,
I'm now writing a program to compress JavaScript code. One puzzle is how
to write a regular expression to find out and remove all the redundent blank
spaces. However, those blank spaces that are in the comments should be kept
intact.

I've tried to write some Regexs, and I list them here for your information:
regex = new Regex(@"/\*[\s\S]*?\*/"); // pattern used to match a multiline
comment block
regex = new Regex(@"//[^@\n]*\n"); // pattern used to match a single-line
comment
regex = new Regex(@"(?<!(?://[^\n]*))\s+"); // pattern used to match blank
characters outside single-line comments

Now the problem is how to match all the continuous blank characters outside
multiline comments?
regex = new Regex(@"(?<!(?:/\*[\s\S]*))\s+");
but this does not work, and will lead to a CPU dead-loop with no reaction
for a long time.

I'm a newbie in Regular Expression. Can sombody help me? Thanks a lot!

Best regards,
Laser L

[Laser Lu]

I wrote another one:

(?<=(?:\*/)(?:[^/\*]|(?<!/)\*|/(?!\*))*)\s+(?=(?:[^\*/]|(?<!\*)/|\*(?!/))*(?:/\*))|(?<=\A(?:[^/\*]|(?<!/)\*|/(?!\*))*)\s+(?=(?:[^\*/]|(?<!\*)/|\*(?!/))*(?:/\*))|(?<=(?:\*/)(?:[^/\*]|(?<!/)\*|/(?!\*))*)\s+(?=(?:[^\*/]|(?<!\*)/|\*(?!/))*\z)|(?<=\A(?:[^/\*]|(?<!/)\*|/(?!\*))*)\s+(?=(?:[^\*/]|(?<!\*)/|\*(?!/))*\z)
I did some simple test, and it works:)

Hi, all,
I'm now writing a program to compress JavaScript code. One puzzle is
how
to write a regular expression to find out and remove all the redundent
blank
spaces. However, those blank spaces that are in the comments should be
kept
intact.
I've tried to write some Regexs, and I list them here for your
information:
regex = new Regex(@"/\*[\s\S]*?\*/"); // pattern used to match a
multiline
comment block
regex = new Regex(@"//[^@\n]*\n"); // pattern used to match a
single-line
comment
regex = new Regex(@"(?<!(?://[^\n]*))\s+"); // pattern used to match
blank
characters outside single-line comments
Now the problem is how to match all the continuous blank characters
outside
multiline comments?
regex = new Regex(@"(?<!(?:/\*[\s\S]*))\s+");
but this does not work, and will lead to a CPU dead-loop with no
reaction
for a long time.

I'm a newbie in Regular Expression. Can sombody help me? Thanks a lot!

Best regards, Laser Lu