Re: [xsl] Support for lookaround regexp in XSLT -- any time soon?

[Liam R E Quin <liam@xxxxxx>]

On Thu, 2013-02-28 at 00:20 +0000, Manuel Souto Pico wrote:
> Hi there,
> 
> I've been using XSLT/XPath for some time to find patterns in
> (XML-based) XLIFF files, but now I'm going to need more complex
> regexps (e.g. positive/negative lookaround/lookbehind/lookahead, aka
> zero-width assertions, or non-capturing groups) and I see that they
> are not supported.

The best way to ask for such features is to enter them into the W3C
Bugzilla instance for the Path & XQuery Functions and Operators
specification, together with a use case for why they are needed.

Note that the 3.0 "Candidate Recommendation" draft does have
non-capturing (?....) groups.  I don't think we added the zero-width
assertions, possibly because no-one has asked for them.

See http://www.w3.org/TR/xpath-functions-30/ for the latest version of
Functions and Operators, and the Status section at the start has
instructions for submitting comments.

I am not sure that we can add such features for 3.0, because the
metaphorical train is already pulling out of the metaphorical station
with a full head of metaphorical steam, but if we've missed it there's
likely to be an XPath 3.1 right behind it, as soon as the platform's
clear. Metaphorically speaking.

Liam

-- 
Liam Quin - XML Activity Lead, W3C, http://www.w3.org/People/Quin/
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