6 ms·
preg_match might actually be better expanded as practical_extraction_and_reporting_language_regular_expression_match. (I'd comment on the original but it's cur
by premchai21 15y ago
preg_match might actually be better expanded as practical_extraction_and_reporting_language_regular_expression_match. (I'd comment on the original but it's currently too overloaded for it, I gather.)
- justincormack 15y agoNot overloaded, just form an orderly queue and wait please.
- code_duck 15y agoyeah, where does 'perform' come from?
- Luyt 15y agoCOBOL. But I think the author didn't know that the preg_*() functions use regular expressions the same way Perl does.
- DaveChild 15y agoI did know that, but wasn't sure the "p" stood for "perl". The manual page for preg_match leads with "preg_match — Perform a regular expression match", so I went with that.
- code_duck 15y agoTrue, and you never know with PHP. The preg functions are wrappers around the Perl Compatible Regular Expressions library, though (PCRE) vs the older POSIX greg PHP functions, so I do think they mean Perl.
- ojbyrne 15y agoActually, my understanding is that the p in preg actually stands for perl. php.net refers to PCRE (Perl Compatible Regular Expressions).
- premchai21 15y agoYes, and “Perl” has often been expanded as “Practical Extraction and Reporting Language” (I don't recall whether this is a half-joke or not, but I think it is). If you like you can add the “compatible” though, which would conveniently add to the length.
- tingletech 15y ago$ perldoc perl NAME perl − Practical Extraction and Report Language ...
- fferen 15y agoFrom Wikipedia: "There is some contention about the all-caps spelling "PERL", which the documentation declares incorrect[28] and which some core community members consider a sign of outsiders.[29] The name is occasionally backronymed as Practical Extraction and Report Language, which appears at the top of the documentation[27] and in some printed literature.[30]" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perl#Name http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perl#Name
- deleted 15y ago[deleted]
- roel_v 15y agoYes, I'm quite sure that is the actual meaning. Back in the day there was 'ereg' as well, but that has been deprecated for a long time I think. IIRC, in 1998-1999 it was a commonly asked question when to use preg_ or ereg_ functions. But I guess the php docs themselves have caused people to think that the p stands for 'perform' - from the php docs 'preg_match - Perform a regular expression match.'. So yeah.
- rbanffy 15y ago"pathologically_eclectic_rubbish_lister_regular_expression_match" would be my first choice.
- DaveChild 15y agoI moved the site to Linode and set my swap incorrectly, so as soon as the memory ran out it fell over. Oops.