[/ 
  Copyright 2006-2007 John Maddock.
  Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0.
  (See accompanying file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at
  http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt).
]


[section:syntax_option_type syntax_option_type]

[section:syntax_option_type_synopsis syntax_option_type Synopsis]

Type [syntax_option_type] is an implementation specific bitmask type 
that controls how a regular expression string is to be interpreted.  
For convenience note that all the constants listed here, are also 
duplicated within the scope of class template [basic_regex].

   namespace std{ namespace regex_constants{

   typedef implementation-specific-bitmask-type syntax_option_type;

   // these flags are standardized:
   static const syntax_option_type normal;
   static const syntax_option_type ECMAScript = normal;
   static const syntax_option_type JavaScript = normal;
   static const syntax_option_type JScript = normal;
   static const syntax_option_type perl = normal;
   static const syntax_option_type basic;
   static const syntax_option_type sed = basic;
   static const syntax_option_type extended;
   static const syntax_option_type awk;
   static const syntax_option_type grep;
   static const syntax_option_type egrep;
   static const syntax_option_type icase;
   static const syntax_option_type nosubs;
   static const syntax_option_type optimize;
   static const syntax_option_type collate;
   // other Boost.Regex specific options are listed below

   } // namespace regex_constants
   } // namespace std

[endsect]

[section:syntax_option_type_overview Overview of syntax_option_type]

The type [syntax_option_type] is an implementation specific bitmask type 
(see C++ standard 17.3.2.1.2). Setting its elements has the effects listed 
in the table below, a valid value of type [syntax_option_type] will always 
have exactly one of the elements `normal`, `basic`, `extended`, 
`awk`, `grep`, `egrep`, `sed`, `literal` or `perl` set.

Note that for convenience all the constants listed here are duplicated within 
the scope of class template [basic_regex], so you can use any of:

   boost::regex_constants::constant_name

or

   boost::regex::constant_name

or

   boost::wregex::constant_name

in an interchangeable manner.

[endsect]

[section:syntax_option_type_perl Options for Perl Regular Expressions]

One of the following must always be set for perl regular expressions:

[table
[[Element][Standardized][Effect when set]]
[[ECMAScript][Yes][Specifies that the grammar recognized by the regular 
      expression engine uses its normal semantics: that is the same as 
      that given in the ECMA-262, ECMAScript Language Specification, 
      Chapter 15 part 10, RegExp (Regular Expression) Objects (FWD.1).
      
      This is functionally identical to the 
      [link boost_regex.syntax.perl_syntax Perl regular expression syntax].

      Boost.Regex also recognizes all of the perl-compatible `(?...)` 
      extensions in this mode.]]
[[perl][No][As above.]]
[[normal][No][As above.]]
[[JavaScript][No][As above.]]
[[JScript][No][As above.]]
]

The following options may also be set when using perl-style regular expressions:

[table
[[Element][Standardized][Effect when set]]
[[icase][Yes][Specifies that matching of regular expressions against a 
      character container sequence shall be performed without regard to case.]]
[[nosubs][Yes][Specifies that when a regular expression is matched against 
      a character container sequence, then no sub-expression matches are 
      to be stored in the supplied [match_results] structure.]]
[[optimize][Yes][Specifies that the regular expression engine should pay 
      more attention to the speed with which regular expressions are matched, 
      and less to the speed with which regular expression objects are 
      constructed. Otherwise it has no detectable effect on the program output.  
      This currently has no effect for Boost.Regex.]]
[[collate][Yes][Specifies that character ranges of the form `[a-b]` should be 
      locale sensitive.]]
[[newline_alt][No][Specifies that the \\n character has the same effect as 
      the alternation operator |.  Allows newline separated lists to be 
      used as a list of alternatives.]]
[[no_except][No][Prevents [basic_regex] from throwing an exception when an 
      invalid expression is encountered.]]
[[no_mod_m][No][Normally Boost.Regex behaves as if the Perl m-modifier is on: 
      so the assertions ^ and $ match after and before embedded 
      newlines respectively, setting this flags is equivalent to prefixing 
      the expression with (?-m).]]
[[no_mod_s][No][Normally whether Boost.Regex will match "." against a 
      newline character is determined by the match flag `match_dot_not_newline`.  
      Specifying this flag is equivalent to prefixing the expression with `(?-s)` 
      and therefore causes "." not to match a newline character regardless of 
      whether `match_not_dot_newline` is set in the match flags.]]
[[mod_s][No][Normally whether Boost.Regex will match "." against a newline 
      character is determined by the match flag `match_dot_not_newline`.  
      Specifying this flag is equivalent to prefixing the expression with `(?s)` 
      and therefore causes "." to match a newline character regardless of 
      whether `match_not_dot_newline` is set in the match flags.]]
[[mod_x][No][Turns on the perl x-modifier: causes unescaped whitespace 
      in the expression to be ignored.]]
]

[endsect]

[section:syntax_option_type_extended Options for POSIX Extended Regular Expressions]

Exactly one of the following must always be set for 
[link boost_regex.syntax.basic_extended POSIX extended 
regular expressions]:

[table
[[Element][Standardized][Effect when set]]
[[extended][Yes][Specifies that the grammar recognized by the regular 
      expression engine is the same as that used by POSIX extended regular 
      expressions in IEEE Std 1003.1-2001, Portable Operating System Interface 
      (POSIX ), Base Definitions and Headers, Section 9, Regular Expressions (FWD.1). 
      
      Refer to the [link boost_regex.syntax.basic_extended POSIX extended 
      regular expression guide] for more information.

      In addition some perl-style escape sequences are supported 
      (The POSIX standard specifies that only "special" characters may be 
      escaped, all other escape sequences result in undefined behavior).]]
[[egrep][Yes][Specifies that the grammar recognized by the regular expression 
      engine is the same as that used by POSIX utility grep when given the 
      -E option in IEEE Std 1003.1-2001, Portable Operating System 
      Interface (POSIX ), Shells and Utilities, Section 4, Utilities, grep (FWD.1).

      That is to say, the same as [link boost_regex.syntax.basic_extended 
      POSIX extended syntax], but with the newline character acting as an 
      alternation character in addition to "|".]]
[[awk][Yes][Specifies that the grammar recognized by the regular 
      expression engine is the same as that used by POSIX utility awk 
      in IEEE Std 1003.1-2001, Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX ), 
      Shells and Utilities, Section 4, awk (FWD.1).

      That is to say: the same as [link boost_regex.syntax.basic_extended 
      POSIX extended syntax], but with escape sequences in character 
      classes permitted.

      In addition some perl-style escape sequences are supported (actually 
      the awk syntax only requires \\a \\b \\t \\v \\f \\n and \\r to be 
      recognised, all other Perl-style escape sequences invoke undefined 
      behavior according to the POSIX standard, but are in fact 
      recognised by Boost.Regex).]]
]

The following options may also be set when using POSIX extended regular expressions:

[table
[[Element][Standardized][Effect when set]]
[[icase][Yes][Specifies that matching of regular expressions against a 
      character container sequence shall be performed without regard to case.]]
[[nosubs][Yes][Specifies that when a regular expression is matched against a 
      character container sequence, then no sub-expression matches are 
      to be stored in the supplied [match_results] structure.]]
[[optimize][Yes][Specifies that the regular expression engine should pay 
      more attention to the speed with which regular expressions are matched, 
      and less to the speed with which regular expression objects are 
      constructed. Otherwise it has no detectable effect on the program output.  
      This currently has no effect for Boost.Regex.]]
[[collate][Yes][Specifies that character ranges of the form `[a-b]` should be 
      locale sensitive.  This bit is on by default for POSIX-Extended 
      regular expressions, but can be unset to force ranges to be compared 
      by code point only.]]
[[newline_alt][No][Specifies that the \\n character has the same effect as 
      the alternation operator |.  Allows newline separated lists to be used 
      as a list of alternatives.]]
[[no_escape_in_lists][No][When set this makes the escape character ordinary 
      inside lists, so that `[\b]` would match either '\\' or 'b'. This bit 
      is on by default for POSIX-Extended regular expressions, but can be 
      unset to force escapes to be recognised inside lists.]]
[[no_bk_refs][No][When set then backreferences are disabled.  This bit is on 
      by default for POSIX-Extended regular expressions, but can be unset 
      to support for backreferences on.]]
[[no_except][No][Prevents [basic_regex] from throwing an exception when 
      an invalid expression is encountered.]]
]

[endsect]
[section:syntax_option_type_basic Options for POSIX Basic Regular Expressions]

Exactly one of the following must always be set for POSIX basic regular expressions:

[table
[[Element][Standardized][Effect When Set]]
[[basic][Yes][Specifies that the grammar recognized by the regular expression 
      engine is the same as that used by 
      [link boost_regex.syntax.basic_syntax POSIX basic regular expressions] in IEEE Std 1003.1-2001, Portable 
      Operating System Interface (POSIX ), Base Definitions and Headers, 
      Section 9, Regular Expressions (FWD.1).]]
[[sed][No][As Above.]]
[[grep][Yes][Specifies that the grammar recognized by the regular 
      expression engine is the same as that used by 
      POSIX utility `grep` in IEEE Std 1003.1-2001, Portable Operating 
      System Interface (POSIX ), Shells and Utilities, Section 4, 
      Utilit\ies, grep (FWD.1).

      That is to say, the same as [link boost_regex.syntax.basic_syntax 
      POSIX basic syntax], but with the newline character acting as an 
      alternation character; the expression is treated as a newline 
      separated list of alternatives.]]
[[emacs][No][Specifies that the grammar recognised is the superset of the 
      [link boost_regex.syntax.basic_syntax POSIX-Basic syntax] used by 
      the emacs program.]]
]

The following options may also be set when using POSIX basic regular expressions:

[table
[[Element][Standardized][Effect when set]]
[[icase][Yes][Specifies that matching of regular expressions against a 
      character container sequence shall be performed without regard to case.]]
[[nosubs][Yes][Specifies that when a regular expression is matched against 
      a character container sequence, then no sub-expression matches are 
      to be stored in the supplied [match_results] structure.]]
[[optimize][Yes][Specifies that the regular expression engine should pay 
      more attention to the speed with which regular expressions are 
      matched, and less to the speed with which regular expression objects 
      are constructed. Otherwise it has no detectable effect on the program output.  
      This currently has no effect for Boost.Regex.]]
[[collate][Yes][Specifies that character ranges of the form `[a-b]` should 
      be locale sensitive.  This bit is on by default for 
      [link boost_regex.syntax.basic_syntax POSIX-Basic regular expressions], 
      but can be unset to force ranges to be compared by code point only.]]
[[newline_alt][No][Specifies that the \\n character has the same effect as the 
      alternation operator |.  Allows newline separated lists to be used 
      as a list of alternatives.  This bit is already set, if you use the 
      `grep` option.]]
[[no_char_classes][No][When set then character classes such as `[[:alnum:]]` 
      are not allowed.]]
[[no_escape_in_lists][No][When set this makes the escape character ordinary 
      inside lists, so that `[\b]` would match either '\\' or 'b'. This bit 
      is on by default for [link boost_regex.syntax.basic_syntax POSIX-basic 
      regular expressions], but can be unset to force escapes to be recognised 
      inside lists.]]
[[no_intervals][No][When set then bounded repeats such as a{2,3} are not permitted.]]
[[bk_plus_qm][No][When set then `\?` acts as a zero-or-one repeat operator, 
      and `\+` acts as a one-or-more repeat operator.]]
[[bk_vbar][No][When set then `\|` acts as the alternation operator.]]
[[no_except][No][Prevents [basic_regex] from throwing an exception when an 
      invalid expression is encountered.]]
]

[endsect]

[section:syntax_option_type_literal Options for Literal Strings]

The following must always be set to interpret the expression as a string literal:

[table
[[Element][Standardized][Effect when set]]
[[literal][Yes][Treat the string as a literal (no special characters).]]
]

The following options may also be combined with the literal flag:

[table
[[Element][Standardized][Effect when set]]
[[icase][Yes][Specifies that matching of regular expressions against a 
      character container sequence shall be performed without regard to case.]]
[[optimize][Yes][Specifies that the regular expression engine should pay 
      more attention to the speed with which regular expressions are matched, 
      and less to the speed with which regular expression objects are constructed. 
      Otherwise it has no detectable effect on the program output.  This 
      currently has no effect for Boost.Regex.]]
]

[endsect]

[endsect]

