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Python Regular Expressions in Python Introduction to Regular Expressions Name Groups

Posted by Dan Oswalt
Dan Oswalt
23,438 Points

Regex in python, how do I include [-\w] only up to a comma?

Regex in python, how do I include [-\w] only up to a comma? I can't think how to do this challenge, I'm not quite getting how to get a pattern of any character or hyphen the occurs right before a comma. Thanks!

names.py 
import re

string = 'Perotto, Pier Giorgio'

names = re.match(r'''
  (?P<lastname>[-\w]+[^,\s])
  (?P<firstname>[-\w ]+)  
''', string, re.X)

2 Answers

Gianmarco Mazzoran
Gianmarco Mazzoran
22,076 Points
Gianmarco Mazzoran
Gianmarco Mazzoran
22,076 Points

Hi,

you only need to change the ^, with \, (since you need to escape it the comma), and remove the square brackets for the comma and the space, after the last name.

names.py 
names = re.match(r'''
  (?P<lastname>[-\w]+)\,\s
  (?P<firstname>[-\w\ ]+\s[\w]+)
''', string, re.X)

edit: No need to escape the comma.

The comma and the space must be outside the lastname group.

names.py 
names = re.match(r'''
  (?P<lastname>[-\w]+),\s
  (?P<firstname>[-\w\ ]+\s[\w]+)
''', string, re.X)
Dan Oswalt
Dan Oswalt
23,438 Points

Great, thank you. Now I see that I needed it outside of the group. Do I have to escape the comma though?

Gianmarco Mazzoran
Gianmarco Mazzoran
22,076 Points
Gianmarco Mazzoran
Gianmarco Mazzoran
22,076 Points

well, no!

Since your inside the string you don't need to escaped, my bad! I update the answer.

Dan Oswalt
Dan Oswalt
23,438 Points
Dan Oswalt
Dan Oswalt
23,438 Points

Just checking, I've been staring at regex patterns for long enough today you could tell me anything was true and I'd believe you. Thank you.