pattern match

[Dang Griffith]

Mitch MF Cummstain wrote:

>                I just started using python and I need help with a
> pattern match.
>       
>    m = re.match("(.{30})(word)(.{30})",paragraph);
> 
> I need to match 30 characters on each side of word.  The problem word
> is getting treated as a string not a variable like I need it to.  How
> can I make it treat word as a variable ?

I'm using 3 instead of 30, but I think you'll get the idea.

   >>> import re
   >>> paragraph = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"
   >>> word = "lmn"
   >>> pat = "(.{3})(%s)(.{3})" % word
   >>> # or, pat = "(.{3})(" + word + ")(.{3})"
   >>> m = re.search(pat, paragraph)
   >>> m.groups()
   ('ijk', 'lmn', 'opq')

Something to keep in mind is that re.match only matches at the beginning
of the string.  You might consider using re.search instead, as I did
above.  It also returns match objects you can play with.
      --dang