Cannot replace parenthesis using regex.replace?

[Stephane]

Hi,

I'm trying to replace parenthesis using Regex.replace but I'm always having
this error:

System.Argument Exception: parsing ":-)" - Too many )'s. Parameter name: :-)

Here's my code:

Regex.Replace(i nput,":-)","img",RegexO ptions.Compiled |
RegexOptions.Ig noreCase);

Any idea why? Any solution?

Thanks

Steph

[Kyle Alons]

Parentheses have special meaning in a regex; use a backslash \) in front to
match on a literal parenthesis

--
---------------------------------------------------
Automate your software builds with Visual Build Pro
http://www.visualbuild.com/

"Stephane" <St******@discu ssions.microsof t.com> wrote in message
news:A6******** *************** ***********@mic rosoft.com...

Hi,

I'm trying to replace parenthesis using Regex.replace but I'm always
having
this error:

System.Argument Exception: parsing ":-)" - Too many )'s. Parameter name:
:-)

Here's my code:

Regex.Replace(i nput,":-)","img",RegexO ptions.Compiled |
RegexOptions.Ig noreCase);

Any idea why? Any solution?

Thanks

Steph

[Jon Skeet [C# MVP]]

Stephane <St******@discu ssions.microsof t.com> wrote:

I'm trying to replace parenthesis using Regex.replace but I'm always having
this error:

System.Argument Exception: parsing ":-)" - Too many )'s. Parameter name: :-)

Here's my code:

Regex.Replace(i nput,":-)","img",RegexO ptions.Compiled |
RegexOptions.Ig noreCase);

Kyle has answered your question - but do you actually have any need to
use regular expressions in the first place? Why not just use

input.Replace (":-)", "img");

If you're trying to replace one string with another, without using any
of the special features of regular expressions, it's a lot simpler to
use String.Replace than Regex.Replace.

--
Jon Skeet - <sk***@pobox.co m>
http://www.pobox.com/~skeet Blog: http://www.msmvps.com/jon.skeet
If replying to the group, please do not mail me too

[Stephane]

I thought using Regex.replace would be much faster than input.replace.

Is there a real performance difference between the two or I just wasted 3
hours trying to make it worked? :-D

Thanks!

Steph

"Jon Skeet [C# MVP]" wrote:

Stephane <St******@discu ssions.microsof t.com> wrote:

I'm trying to replace parenthesis using Regex.replace but I'm always having
this error:

System.Argument Exception: parsing ":-)" - Too many )'s. Parameter name: :-)

Here's my code:

Regex.Replace(i nput,":-)","img",RegexO ptions.Compiled |
RegexOptions.Ig noreCase);

Kyle has answered your question - but do you actually have any need to
use regular expressions in the first place? Why not just use

input.Replace (":-)", "img");

If you're trying to replace one string with another, without using any
of the special features of regular expressions, it's a lot simpler to
use String.Replace than Regex.Replace.

--
Jon Skeet - <sk***@pobox.co m>
http://www.pobox.com/~skeet Blog: http://www.msmvps.com/jon.skeet
If replying to the group, please do not mail me too

[Cor Ligthert [MVP]]

Stephane,

StringBuilder.R eplace is probably the fastest in most situations.

Cor

[Jon Skeet [C# MVP]]

Stephane <St******@discu ssions.microsof t.com> wrote:

I thought using Regex.replace would be much faster than input.replace.

Is there a real performance difference between the two or I just wasted 3
hours trying to make it worked? :-D

String.Replace is probably faster anyway, as it has less work to do.

However, the first thing you should always find out before using a more
complex solution is whether this is a performance bottleneck in the
first place. Have you benchmarked your app to prove you've got a
problem?

--
Jon Skeet - <sk***@pobox.co m>
http://www.pobox.com/~skeet Blog: http://www.msmvps.com/jon.skeet
If replying to the group, please do not mail me too

[Stephane]

I haven't tested my application in a production environment, but I expect a
lot of work since this is to replace about 25 smileys code in each message
sent to my forum.

By lot of work, I mean something between 10K and 20K messages posted each day.

I'll try the string.replace and I guess I'll soon see if there's a problem
with it.

Thanks

Steph

"Jon Skeet [C# MVP]" wrote:

Stephane <St******@discu ssions.microsof t.com> wrote:

I thought using Regex.replace would be much faster than input.replace.

Is there a real performance difference between the two or I just wasted 3
hours trying to make it worked? :-D

String.Replace is probably faster anyway, as it has less work to do.

However, the first thing you should always find out before using a more
complex solution is whether this is a performance bottleneck in the
first place. Have you benchmarked your app to prove you've got a
problem?

--
Jon Skeet - <sk***@pobox.co m>
http://www.pobox.com/~skeet Blog: http://www.msmvps.com/jon.skeet
If replying to the group, please do not mail me too

[Stephane]

For your information, here's a benchmark that tells what I want!

http://www.anothereon.net/weblog/arc...09/05/188.aspx

Conclusion: Always ask google before doing something stupid! :-D

Steph

"Stephane" wrote:

I haven't tested my application in a production environment, but I expect a
lot of work since this is to replace about 25 smileys code in each message
sent to my forum.

By lot of work, I mean something between 10K and 20K messages posted each day.

I'll try the string.replace and I guess I'll soon see if there's a problem
with it.

Thanks

Steph

"Jon Skeet [C# MVP]" wrote:

Stephane <St******@discu ssions.microsof t.com> wrote:

I thought using Regex.replace would be much faster than input.replace.

Is there a real performance difference between the two or I just wasted 3
hours trying to make it worked? :-D

String.Replace is probably faster anyway, as it has less work to do.

However, the first thing you should always find out before using a more
complex solution is whether this is a performance bottleneck in the
first place. Have you benchmarked your app to prove you've got a
problem?

--
Jon Skeet - <sk***@pobox.co m>
http://www.pobox.com/~skeet Blog: http://www.msmvps.com/jon.skeet
If replying to the group, please do not mail me too

[Cor Ligthert [MVP]]

Stephane,

Try it than with stringbuilder.r eplace as well.

A stringbuilder object is a concatenation of characters and therefore easier
to change. (Technical, logical a string is the same however technical not)

You probably will be surprised.

Cor

"Stephane" <St******@discu ssions.microsof t.com> schreef in bericht
news:08******** *************** ***********@mic rosoft.com...

For your information, here's a benchmark that tells what I want!

http://www.anothereon.net/weblog/arc...09/05/188.aspx

Conclusion: Always ask google before doing something stupid! :-D

Steph

"Stephane" wrote:

I haven't tested my application in a production environment, but I expect
a
lot of work since this is to replace about 25 smileys code in each
message
sent to my forum.

By lot of work, I mean something between 10K and 20K messages posted each
day.

I'll try the string.replace and I guess I'll soon see if there's a
problem
with it.

Thanks

Steph

"Jon Skeet [C# MVP]" wrote:

> Stephane <St******@discu ssions.microsof t.com> wrote:
> > I thought using Regex.replace would be much faster than
> > input.replace.
> >
> > Is there a real performance difference between the two or I just
> > wasted 3
> > hours trying to make it worked? :-D
>
> String.Replace is probably faster anyway, as it has less work to do.
>
> However, the first thing you should always find out before using a more
> complex solution is whether this is a performance bottleneck in the
> first place. Have you benchmarked your app to prove you've got a
> problem?
>
> --
> Jon Skeet - <sk***@pobox.co m>
> http://www.pobox.com/~skeet Blog: http://www.msmvps.com/jon.skeet
> If replying to the group, please do not mail me too
>

[Jon Skeet [C# MVP]]

Stephane <St******@discu ssions.microsof t.com> wrote:

I haven't tested my application in a production environment, but I expect a
lot of work since this is to replace about 25 smileys code in each message
sent to my forum.

By lot of work, I mean something between 10K and 20K messages posted each day.

That's not a lot of work at all.

Try running the following:

using System.Text;
using System;

public class Test
{
const int Iterations = 100000;

static void Main()
{
StringBuilder builder = new StringBuilder() ;
for (int i=0; i < 25; i++)
{
builder.Append ("before");
builder.Append (":-)");
builder.Append ("after");
}
string original = builder.ToStrin g();

DateTime start = DateTime.Now;
for (int i=0; i < Iterations; i++)
{
string replaced = original.Replac e (":-)", "img");
}
DateTime end = DateTime.Now;
Console.WriteLi ne ("{0} iterations took {1}", Iterations,
end-start);
}
}

On my laptop, it manages 100,000 iterations in about half a second.
Even if regular expressions were significantly faster, what's half a
second per day, really?

The moral is to always find out if something is actually going to be
expensive in real terms before going for a more complicated (and
potentially buggy) solution.

--
Jon Skeet - <sk***@pobox.co m>
http://www.pobox.com/~skeet Blog: http://www.msmvps.com/jon.skeet
If replying to the group, please do not mail me too