NotePad++ replace problem

Question

I have a file with lots of text editing using NotePad++.

for example

<span class="italic">some text</span><span class="bold">another text or some text</span>

I would like to use NotePad++'s regex replace to replace

<span class"italic>some text</span> to <i>some text</i> and <span class="bold">another text or some text</span> to <b>another text or some text</b>

I'm able to match the span text however How to replace them with NotePad++

Find <span class="italic">text12312</span> and replace it with <i>[a-zA-Z]*</i> will actually put the "[a-zA-Z]*" text into replaced string and not "text12312".

Answer 1

Use a regex like: <span class="italic">([\w\s\d]+)</span>

and replacement like: <i>$1</i>

The important point here is to create a matching group for your text by surrounding it in brackets i.e. ([\w\s\d]+) which matches one or more:

• \w word chars
• \s space chars
• \d numeric chars

Now in your replacement string, reference the first and only matched group with $1.

Answer 2

<span class="italic">([^<]+)</span> => <i>\1</i>

<span class="bold">([^<]+)</span> => <b>\1</b>

[^<]+ matches one or more of any character except <, and the parentheses capture it in group #1. \1 inserts the captured text into the replacement string.