[djmakinera]

1. I want to find only 3 characters ===
2. I want to ignore find every other number of characters =
3. I want to find all characters = containing a different number than 3 characters =

All regex not work:

[^ ===]
^ [^ ===]
! "===" =

[Jiaz]

How about learning regex and not guessing?
It seems you doesn't even know what [] is ?

This is the pattern for your first question

([^=]|^)(===)([^=]|$)

[djmakinera]

^={3}$
OR
^[^=]*===[^=]*$
OR
([^=]|^)(===)([^=]|$)


searches for 3 characters but that's not what I mean

I want:

Each character = (except for 3 characters === and one character in http) should be replaced with 3 characters ===

[Jiaz]

Originally Posted by djmakinera

1. I want to find only 3 characters ===

that is what the pattern does, find the ===

[Jiaz]

Originally Posted by djmakinera

Each character = (except for 3 characters === and one character in http) should be replaced with 3 characters ===

How about an example that everyone understands?

[djmakinera]

I have links in the text file that do not contain or contain at least one character or more in the address "="
Here he does not want to change anything.
But in the text file the links are separated in a line with a different combination of = chars, and I want to replace all of them with 3 characters =

= OR == OR ==== OR more character "=" always replace with ===
Line:
1.= replace with ===
2.== replace with ===
3.=== NOT REPLACE
4.==== replace with ===
5.===== or more = replace with ===
6.**External links are only visible to Support Staff****External links are only visible to Support Staff** name= NOT REPLACE

[Jiaz]

Why not simply replace all =+ with === !?

[djmakinera]

Because in the text file, there are http links with one or more characters =, and how they will replace the link will not work.

[Jiaz]

So you're only interested in =... at the beginning of the line?
Maybe you should provide real example

[djmakinera]

So you're only interested in =... at the beginning of the line?
YES.
Example not needed because from the beginning there are only character = of course in different quantities!

Line1:===============
Line2:====
Line3.======

etc.

[djmakinera]

It works, but the regular expression must be changed because every character starts from the beginning of the line. There must be an exception for HTTP links in which the = CHARACTER also appears

Ignore replacing characters in any url link in which the character is =

Find:=*
Replace with:===
Line1:**External links are only visible to Support Staff****External links are only visible to Support Staff** (VARIOUS TYPE URL)
Line2:====

[djmakinera]

Maybe:


Find:^=*$
Replace with:===

[Jiaz]

Originally Posted by djmakinera

Maybe:


Find:^=*$
Replace with:===

That won't work because this pattern does only match empty lines or just with =

[Jiaz]

How about

^=+

this pattern matches on LineBeginning-one or multiple =

[djmakinera]

Works in both cases for me, I checked it on a text file.
Only in the first case is the $ character (End of line) required because the editor will show(when replace) for URL:

===http

Regular Expression Engine: Perl(Boost.Regex), Onigmo