[xsl] one for the regex gods

[Ihe Onwuka <ihe.onwuka@xxxxxxxxx>]

I have this regex

<!-- remove commas embedded in amounts-->
<!-- also replace multiple hyphens with asterisks -->
<xsl:variable name="line"
select="replace(replace(.,'-{2,}','**********'),'(,(\d{3})+(\D|$))','$2')"/>

operating on

Cash from Operatings/ Financial Expenses            372.43
4,889.48      -2,070.08         154.8

the role of the inner replace is to replace multiple hypens with
asterisks. In the above there are no multiple hypens so it should not
be effective.

the outer replace is meant to remove embedded commas in the field
however I noticed it is also causing me to lose the decimal point
which I of course would like to retain.

Upon diagnosis I tried

<xsl:variable name="line"
select="replace(replace(.,'-{2,}','**********'),'(,(\d{3}\.?)+(\D|$))','$2')"/>

and

<xsl:variable name="line"
select="replace(replace(.,'-{2,}','**********'),'(,(\d{3}[.]?)+(\D|$))','$2')"/>

various ways of slipping a decimal point into the captured variable
after the \d{3}

Neither had any effect.

So I thought I'd come ask.