# Oniguruma: Different result in ruby 1.9.1 and 1.8.7

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/oniguruma-different-result-in-ruby-1-9-1-and-1-8-7/174917>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [September 4, 2009, 2:33am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/oniguruma-different-result-in-ruby-1-9-1-and-1-8-7/174917 "2009-09-04T02:33:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![miguelfteixeira](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/53a042/32.png) [@miguelfteixeira](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/miguelfteixeira)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 2:33am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/oniguruma-different-result-in-ruby-1-9-1-and-1-8-7/174917/1 "2009-09-04T02:33:18Z")

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Hi,

I have the following regular expression created in ruby 1.9.1:

/(?:(?:$(?‘name1’[\w\s']+)(?:(?‘name2’(?:created|developed)[\w\s]+)(?name3’(?:in|at)[\w\s]+)))|(?:$(?‘name1’[\w\s']+)(?‘name2’(:?created|developed)[\w\s]+))|(?:$(?‘name1’[\w\s']+)(?‘name3’(?:in|at)[\w\s]+)))(?:.(?‘name4’[\w\s]+))?/.match(str)

To use Oniguruma i have installed the following gem:

> **[GitHub - geoffgarside/oniguruma: Re-implementation of the oniguruma gem in pure...](https://github.com/geoffgarside/oniguruma/tree/master)**
>
> master

(also tried with this solution:  
[http://www.goodbyehelicopter.com/2008/02/20/install-oniguruma-on-os-x/](http://www.goodbyehelicopter.com/2008/02/20/install-oniguruma-on-os-x/))

After the installation of Oniguruma i have created the following regular  
expression in ruby 1.8.7:  
Oniguruma::ORegexp.new(‘(?:(?:$(?'name1'[\w\s']+)(?:(?'name2'(?:created|developed)[\w\s]+)(?'name3'(?:in|at)[\w\s]+)))|(?:$(?'name1'[\w\s']+)(?'name2'(:?created|developed)[\w\s]+))|(?:$(?'name1'[\w\s']+)(?'name3'(?:in|at)[\w\s]+)))(?:.(?'name4'[\w\s]+))?’).match(str)

My problem is that the result in ruby 1.8.7 is different from the result  
in 1.9.1.  
Anyone has an idea about what’s going on?

I also tried to substitute ?'name1' with ?

Thanks,

–  
Miguel T.

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**Author:** ![miguelfteixeira](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/53a042/32.png) [@miguelfteixeira](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/miguelfteixeira)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 2:50am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/oniguruma-different-result-in-ruby-1-9-1-and-1-8-7/174917/2 "2009-09-04T02:50:10Z")

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On Sep 3, 2009, at 5:33 PM, Miguel T. wrote:

> [GitHub - geoffgarside/oniguruma: Re-implementation of the oniguruma gem in pure C. Also aims to be compatible with more versions of Oniguruma](http://github.com/geoffgarside/oniguruma/tree/master)  
> (?:$(?'name1'[\w\s']+)(?'name2'(:?created|developed)[\w\s]+))|  
> (?:$(?'name1'[\w\s']+)(?'name3'(?:in|at)[\w\s]+)))(?:.(?  
> 'name4'[\w\s]+))?').match(str)
> 
> My problem is that the result in ruby 1.8.7 is different from the  
> result  
> in 1.9.1.  
> Anyone has an idea about what’s going on?
> 
> I also tried to substitute ?'name1' with ?

That expression is rather long. Have you tried reducing the regular  
expression to the smallest possible case that will make it break?

* * *

Aaron P.  
[http://tenderlovemaking.com](http://tenderlovemaking.com)

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**Author:** ![miguelfteixeira](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/53a042/32.png) [@miguelfteixeira](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/miguelfteixeira)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/oniguruma-different-result-in-ruby-1-9-1-and-1-8-7/174917/3 "2009-09-04T16:36:15Z")

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2009/9/4 Miguel T. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid):

> After the installation of Oniguruma i have created the following regular  
> expression in ruby 1.8.7:  
> Oniguruma::ORegexp.new(‘(?:(?:$(?'name1'[\w\s']+)(?:(?'name2'(?:created|developed)[\w\s]+)(?'name3'(?:in|at)[\w\s]+)))|(?:$(?'name1'[\w\s']+)(?'name2'(:?created|developed)[\w\s]+))|(?:$(?'name1'[\w\s']+)(?'name3'(?:in|at)[\w\s]+)))(?:.(?'name4'[\w\s]+))?’).match(str)
> 
> My problem is that the result in ruby 1.8.7 is different from the result  
> in 1.9.1.  
> Anyone has an idea about what’s going on?

What differences did you observe? Against which text did you match?

To simplify your tests I would create both regular expressions via the  
string method. Then you can be sure to use the same string and not  
fall culprit of some conversion or typing errors.

Kind regards

robert

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**Author:** ![miguelfteixeira](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/53a042/32.png) [@miguelfteixeira](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/miguelfteixeira)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 7:31pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/oniguruma-different-result-in-ruby-1-9-1-and-1-8-7/174917/4 "2009-09-04T19:31:54Z")

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On 04.09.2009 16:45, Miguel T. wrote:

> The problem is that in ruby 1.8.7 is impossible (?) to use string method  
> with oniguruma (the default regular expression engine is different).

Apparently you are not getting my point - maybe I wasn’t clear enough.  
I suggested to _create_ the regular expression via a String, i.e.  
Regexp.new(s) and Oniguruma::ORegexp.new(s).

> The differences that i observe is the match’s for the cases where the  
> (created|developed) and (in|at) groups should be matched.

What difference do you observe? You are not really providing much  
information to answer your question. You could do yourself a favor and  
simply post a script or IRB session showing the different behavior.

[http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html](http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html)

Cheers

robert

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**Author:** ![miguelfteixeira](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/53a042/32.png) [@miguelfteixeira](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/miguelfteixeira)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2009, 4:45pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/oniguruma-different-result-in-ruby-1-9-1-and-1-8-7/174917/5 "2009-09-04T16:45:06Z")

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Hi robert,

The problem is that in ruby 1.8.7 is impossible (?) to use string method  
with oniguruma (the default regular expression engine is different).

The differences that i observe is the match’s for the cases where the  
(created|developed) and (in|at) groups should be matched.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![miguelfteixeira](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/53a042/32.png) [@miguelfteixeira](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/miguelfteixeira)\
**Post date:** [September 5, 2009, 1:14pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/oniguruma-different-result-in-ruby-1-9-1-and-1-8-7/174917/6 "2009-09-05T13:14:29Z")

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Hi robert,

I get the same result when trying the match via Regexp.new.

Maybe the version of origuruma is different, i will try to create a  
different regular expression (more simple) this times using ruby 1.8.7  
regular expression engine.

Thanks for the help.