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Regular expressions in CatDV Worker // Looking for right syntax
Hi everybody,
I have a question about using the regular expressions in Worker. I am trying to set up a job, where the Worker only proceed the files, that start with a word “test” in a filename.
For example:
test_123.mov
testimesti.mp4
test me.movbut not
12test.mov
A_test.movafter I tried everything and read many different tutorials about using the regular expressions, I still can’t figure out the right expression. I try to use it in the field “Include” under “Conditions/Basic Attributes” in Worker.
Can anybody please help me. I think many users would find your Tip useful. Regular expressions is a very powerful tool, that I try to learn and that can significant boost the power of CatDV Worker.
Best Regards
leo -
8 Replies
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Hi, Leonid-
I agree that the use of regular expressions opens up some very powerful CatDV functionality, and there are a few integrators like us that have already explored REGEX in detail. For simple explanation and examples, look at the Worker release notesFor your immediate needs, I think you can use a simple match of the filename (“Basic Attributes” under Conditions, or variable $g if used in a formula) which tests for string “test” at the beginning of the filename, e.g.
/^(test)(S+)[^/]*$/
Make sure you remember to check the the REGEX box!
Bob Spencer
Video Technologies Group LLC
bob “at” vtgny dot com -
The FULL regular expression, given that I assume you only want to match files that start with “test”, not for that text appearing somewhere else in the file path, would be
^.*/test[^/]*.mov$What the characters mean is:
^ = match start of string
.* = any number of any characters (. = any character, * = repeat previous match any number of times)
/test = literal “test” right after a file path separator (assuming you’re on Mac OS)
[^/]* = any number of non-/ characters, as you want to ensure that “test” occurred in the final filename component of the path
. = matches a period “.” ( means “escape” the next character and ignore its usual special meaning)
mov = literal “mov”
$ = match end of stringThis expression is “anchored” to the start and end of the string and gives you maximum control, but it’s quite complex. As a shortcut, the worker will also recognise common Mac and Windows command line abbreviations, so you should also be able to write
test*.movto do what you want.
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Ok, it looks like the forum has stripped out my backslash characters! It obviously uses \\ itself as an escape character. That should have read
^.*/test[^/]*\\.mov$-Rolf
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Aargh! I give up. Previously it stripped out my backslash, now it’s doubled it up!
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^.*/test[^/]*\.mov$Did you mean this, Rolf?
bryson
bryson “at” hidefcowboy.com
hidefcowboy.com
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That one works, as tested in Worker Node 4 today.
Thank you Bob and Rolf both. There are tons of regex resources on the web, but a lot of them give info that doesn’t pertain to the app but this should be enough to start from.
Worker Node is not an app, it’s a career. 😉
bryson
bryson “at” hidefcowboy.com
hidefcowboy.com
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It’s a small club!
There may be one more edit required, as Leo also wants to match for other file types that start with “test” (e.g., testtime.mp4):
try this, which blends the previous methods:
^.*/test[^/]*.*$Good luck, Leo!
Bob Spencer
Video Technologies Group LLC
bob “at” vtgny.com
vtgny.com -
Thanx everybody. This will bring me much further. I think this and some other often needed examples of using regular expressions belong into the manual of the Worker 😉
Regards
Leo
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