You can use the search method to search the Text widget for a pattern or regular expression. The search method takes some optional switches, the pattern to search for, and an index at which to start searching:
$index = $text->search([switches], pattern, index, [ stopindex ])
If a match is made, the index returned points to the first character in the match. If no match is made, an empty string is returned.
Here is a simple example of using search:
$result = $text->search(-backwards => "find me", 'end'); $location = $text->search(-nocase => "SWITCHES", "1.0");
See the sidebar "Search Options" for more information.
Search Options
- -forwards
- Tells search to search forward through the Text widget starting at index. This is the default.
- -backwards
- Tells search to search backward through the Text widget starting at the character before index.
- -exact
- The pattern must match the text exactly. This is the default.
- -regexp
- The pattern will be considered as a regular expression.
- -nocase
- Ignores case between pattern and the text within the Text widget.
- -hidden
- Searches text even if it has a tag with -state => hidden.
- -count => varname
- varname is a pointer to a variable (i.e., \$variable). The number of characters matched will be stored within that variable.
- --
- This option does nothing except force the next argument to be taken as the pattern even if the next string starts with a "-".