Date: Fri, 27 Jan 2023 13:42:34 +0100
From: hubert depesz lubaczewski <depesz@depesz.com>
Sender: depesz@depesz.com
To: kosiodg@yahoo.com, pgsql-bugs@lists.postgresql.org
Subject: Re: BUG #17761: Questionable regular expression behavior
Message-ID: <Y9PGupnpVoN/uQ2w@depesz.com>
Reply-To: depesz@depesz.com
References: <17761-5a78c34533f3ab72@postgresql.org>
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On Fri, Jan 27, 2023 at 09:27:35AM +0000, PG Bug reporting form wrote:
> The following bug has been logged on the website:
> 
> Bug reference:      17761
> Logged by:          Konstantin Geordzhev
> Email address:      kosiodg@yahoo.com
> PostgreSQL version: 11.10
> Operating system:   tested online
> Description:        
> 
> Executing:
> select regexp_matches('a 1x1250x2500',
> '(a).*?([1-9]\d*)\s*x\s*([1-9]\d*)(?:\s*x\s*([1-9]\d*))?');
> returns: {a,1,1,NULL}
> while executing:
> select regexp_matches('a 1x1250x2500',
> '(a|b).*?([1-9]\d*)\s*x\s*([1-9]\d*)(?:\s*x\s*([1-9]\d*))?');
> returns: {a,1,1250,2500}
> 
> Shouldn't both results be equal?

The problem is, afair, that there is some state in pg's regexp engine
that makes greedy/ungreedy decision once per regexp.

I don't recall details, but my take from back when I learned about it
(years ago) is to try to avoid things like .*?

Instead you can:

#v+
$ select regexp_matches('a 1x1250x2500', '(a)\D*([1-9]\d*)\s*x\s*([1-9]\d*)(?:\s*x\s*([1-9]\d*))?');
 regexp_matches
─────────────────
 {a,1,1250,2500}
(1 row)
#v-

depesz