17 Escaping examples

Overview

This page provides examples of using correct escaping when using regular expressions in various contexts.

When using the trigger expression constructor, correct escaping in regular expressions is added automatically.

Examples

User macro with context

Regular expression: \.+\"[a-z]+
User macro with context: {$MACRO:regex:"\.+\\"[a-z]+"}

Notice:

  • backslashes are not escaped;
  • quotation marks are escaped.

LLD macro function

Regular expression: \.+\"[a-z]+
LLD macro: {{#MACRO}.iregsub("\.+\\"[a-z]+", \1)}

Notice:

  • backslashes are not escaped;
  • quotation marks are escaped.

LLD macro function inside user macro context

Regular expression: \.+\"[a-z]+
LLD macro: {{#MACRO}.iregsub("\.+\\"[a-z]+", \1)}
User macro with context: {$MACRO:"{{#MACRO}.iregsub(\".+\\\"[a-z]+\", \1)}"}

Notice:

  • backslash escaping for LLD does not change;
  • upon inserting the LLD macro into user macro context, we need to put it into string:
  1. Quotation marks are added around the macro expression;
  2. Quotation marks get escaped; in total, 3 new backslashes are introduced.

String parameter of non-history function

String content: \.+\"[a-z]+
Expression: concat("abc", "\\.\\\"[a-z]+")

Notice:

  • String parameters require escaping both for backslashes and quotation marks.

String parameter of history function

String content: \.+\"[a-z]+
Expression: find(__ITEM_KEY__,,"regexp","\.+\\"[a-z]+")

Notice:

  • backslashes are not escaped;
  • quotation marks are escaped.

LLD macro function inside string parameter of non-history function

Regular expression: \.+\"[a-z]+
LLD macro: {{#MACRO}.iregsub("\.+\\"[a-z]+", \1)}
Expression: concat("abc, "{{#MACRO}.iregsub(\"\\.+\\\\\"[a-z]+\", \\1)}")

Notice:

  • String parameters require escaping both for backslashes and quotation marks;
  • Another layer of escaping is added, because the macro will be resolved only after string is unquoted;

LLD macro function inside string parameter of history function

Regular expression: \.+\"[a-z]+
LLD macro: {{#MACRO}.iregsub("\.+\\"[a-z]+", \1)}
Expression: find(__ITEM_KEY__,,"eq","{{#MACRO}.iregsub(\"\.+\\\"[a-z]+\", \1)}")

Notice:

  • backslashes are not escaped;
  • quotation marks are escaped.

User macro with context inside string parameter of non-history function

Regular expression: \.+\"[a-z]+
User macro with context: {$MACRO:regex:"\.+\\"[a-z]+"}
Expression: concat("abc, "{$MACRO:regex:\"\\.+\\\\\"[a-z]+\"}")

Notice:

  • Same as in the previous example an additional layer of escaping is needed;
  • Backslashes and quotation marks are escaped only for the top-level escaping (by virtue of it being a string parameter).

User macro with context inside string parameter of history function

Regular expression: \.+\"[a-z]+
User macro with context: {$MACRO:regex:"\.+\\"[a-z]+"}
Expression: find(__ITEM_KEY__,,"eq","{$MACRO:regex:\"\.+\\\"[a-z]+\"}")

Notice:

  • backslashes are not escaped;
  • quotation marks are escaped.

LLD macro function inside user macro context inside non-history function

Regular expression: \.+\"[a-z]+
LLD macro: {{#MACRO}.iregsub("\.+\\"[a-z]+", \1)}
User macro with context: {$MACRO:"{{#MACRO}.iregsub(\".+\\\"[a-z]+\", \1)}"}
Expression: concat("abc, "{$MACRO:\"{{#MACRO}.iregsub(\\\".+\\\\\\\"[a-z]+\\\", \\1)}\"}")

Notice the three layers of escaping:

  1. For LLD macro function, without escaping of backslashes;
  2. For User macro with context, without escaping of backslashes;
  3. For the string parameter of a function, with escaping of backslashes.

LLD macro function inside user macro context inside history function

Regular expression: \.+\"[a-z]+
LLD macro: {{#MACRO}.iregsub("\.+\\"[a-z]+", \1)}
User macro with context: {$MACRO:"{{#MACRO}.iregsub(\".+\\\"[a-z]+\", \1)}"}
Expression: find(__ITEM_KEY__,,"eq","{$MACRO:\"{{#MACRO}.iregsub(\\".+\\\\"[a-z]+\\", \1)}\"}")

Notice:

  • backslashes are not escaped;
  • quotation marks are escaped.

User macro with context just inside string

Regular expression: \.+\"[a-z]+
User macro with context: {$MACRO:regex:"\.+\\"[a-z]+"}
Inside string of some expression, for example: func(arg1, arg2, arg3)="{$MACRO:regex:\"\\.+\\\\\"[a-z]+\"}"

Notice:

  • Strings also require backslash escaping;
  • Strings also require quotation mark escaping;
  • Again a case with 2 levels of escaping:
    1. Escaping for user macro context without backslash escaping;
    2. Escaping for it being a string with backslash escaping.