the answer (I hope!) (was Re: regex for C comments)

[Randal Schwartz]

In article <502 at chem.ucsd.EDU>, tps at chem (Tom Stockfisch) writes:
| So, who has the shortest single LEX expression that correctly
| matches C comments --
| ignoring string and character constants,
| and disallowing start conditions?
| 
| Mine is
| 
| 	"/*"\/*([^/]|{[^*/]\/+})*"*/"

What are these curly brace things?  They're not used in accordance
with V7 (the One True Unix :-) Lex.

OK, I'll toss my submission back in the ring, which I have tested (for
once... :-).

	"/*"("*"*[^*/]+|"/"+)*"*"+"/"

You could make it shorter by leaving off the two plus signs inside the
parens, but this is probably more efficient.

Ducking to avoid the onslaught of test cases,
-- 
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