Check if a character is inside a source code string

[Mats Bue]

Hi

I am working on an application where I need to parse C# source code. For
example, I need to find the return statement in a method. So I search for
the word "return" in a line of code. But the problem is when the word
"return" also is found in a string (either normal or literal).

Example:
.....
if (a == 2) return true; // This should give a match
if(s == "a string with return") b = 3; // This should not give a match

So I am looking for a way (using regex?) to determine if a position in a
string (e.g. char at index 5) is inside a string or not. Have tried to come
up with something without any luck.

Any ideas would be much appreciated.

[Felipe]

Hi mats

I'm not good with regex but if performance is not an issue.... you could
itenerate trought all the code one character at a time and keep track of any
quotes( " or ' ) that come up... so you keep a counter of them..

if you find one increase the counter by 1.... if it finds another one of the
same type( " or ' ).... decrease the counter.... of its of the other type
increase the counter....

so you only pickup the strings ( in this case "return" ) when the counter is
zero.

Hope that helps

"Mats Bue" <ma*****@broadpark.no> wrote in message
news:42********@news.broadpark.no...

Hi

I am working on an application where I need to parse C# source code. For
example, I need to find the return statement in a method. So I search for
the word "return" in a line of code. But the problem is when the word
"return" also is found in a string (either normal or literal).

Example:
....
if (a == 2) return true; // This should give a match
if(s == "a string with return") b = 3; // This should not give a match

So I am looking for a way (using regex?) to determine if a position in a
string (e.g. char at index 5) is inside a string or not. Have tried to
come up with something without any luck.

Any ideas would be much appreciated.