Simulating lookbehind in JavaScript (take 2)

xregexp-lookbehind2.js

// Simulating infinite-length leading lookbehind in JavaScript. Uses XRegExp.
// Captures within lookbehind are not included in match results. Lazy
// repetition in lookbehind may lead to unexpected results.

(function (XRegExp) {

    function prepareLb(lb) {
        // Allow mode modifier before lookbehind
        var parts = /^((?:\(\?[\w$]+\))?)\(\?<([=!])([\s\S]*)\)$/.exec(lb);
        return {
            // $(?!\s) allows use of (?m) in lookbehind
            lb: XRegExp(parts ? parts[1] + "(?:" + parts[3] + ")$(?!\\s)" : lb),
            // Positive or negative lookbehind. Use positive if no lookbehind group
            type: parts ? parts[2] === "=" : !parts
        };
    }

    XRegExp.execLb = function (str, lb, regex) {
        var pos = 0, match, leftContext;
        lb = prepareLb(lb);
        while (match = XRegExp.exec(str, regex, pos)) {
            leftContext = str.slice(0, match.index);
            if (lb.type === lb.lb.test(leftContext)) {
                return match;
            }
            pos = match.index + 1;
        }
        return null;
    };

    XRegExp.testLb = function (str, lb, regex) {
        return !!XRegExp.execLb(str, lb, regex);
    };

    XRegExp.searchLb = function (str, lb, regex) {
        var match = XRegExp.execLb(str, lb, regex);
        return match ? match.index : -1;
    };

    XRegExp.matchAllLb = function (str, lb, regex) {
        var matches = [], pos = 0, match, leftContext;
        lb = prepareLb(lb);
        while (match = XRegExp.exec(str, regex, pos)) {
            leftContext = str.slice(0, match.index);
            if (lb.type === lb.lb.test(leftContext)) {
                matches.push(match[0]);
                pos = match.index + (match[0].length || 1);
            } else {
                pos = match.index + 1;
            }
        }
        return matches;
    };

    XRegExp.replaceLb = function (str, lb, regex, replacement) {
        var output = "", pos = 0, lastEnd = 0, match, leftContext;
        lb = prepareLb(lb);
        while (match = XRegExp.exec(str, regex, pos)) {
            leftContext = str.slice(0, match.index);
            if (lb.type === lb.lb.test(leftContext)) {
                // Doesn't work correctly if lookahead in regex looks outside of the match
                output += str.slice(lastEnd, match.index) + XRegExp.replace(match[0], regex, replacement);
                lastEnd = match.index + match[0].length;
                if (!regex.global) {
                    break;
                }
                pos = match.index + (match[0].length || 1);
            } else {
                pos = match.index + 1;
            }
        }
        return output + str.slice(lastEnd);
    };

}(XRegExp));


// Test it...

console.log(XRegExp.execLb("Fluffy cat", "(?i)(?<=fluffy\\W+)", XRegExp("(?i)(?<first>c)at")));
// -> ["cat", "c"]
// Result has named backref: result.first -> "c"

console.log(XRegExp.execLb("Fluffy cat", "(?i)(?<!fluffy\\W+)", /cat/i));
// -> null

console.log(XRegExp.testLb("Fluffy cat", "(?i)(?<=fluffy\\W+)", /cat/i));
// -> true

console.log(XRegExp.testLb("Fluffy cat", "(?i)(?<!fluffy\\W+)", /cat/i));
// -> false

console.log(XRegExp.searchLb("Catwoman's fluffy cat", "(?i)(?<=fluffy\\W+)", /cat/i));
// -> 18

console.log(XRegExp.searchLb("Catwoman's fluffy cat", "(?i)(?<!fluffy\\W+)", /cat/i));
// -> 0

console.log(XRegExp.matchAllLb("Catwoman's cats are fluffy cats", "(?i)(?<=fluffy\\W+)", /cat\w*/i));
// -> ["cats"]

console.log(XRegExp.matchAllLb("Catwoman's cats are fluffy cats", "(?i)(?<!fluffy\\W+)", /cat\w*/i));
// -> ["Catwoman", "cats"]

console.log(XRegExp.replaceLb("Catwoman's fluffy cat is a cat", "(?i)(?<=fluffy\\W+)", /cat/ig, "dog"));
// -> "Catwoman's fluffy dog is a cat"

console.log(XRegExp.replaceLb("Catwoman's fluffy cat is a cat", "(?i)(?<!fluffy\\W+)", /cat/ig, "dog"));
// -> "dogwoman's fluffy cat is a dog"

console.log(XRegExp.replaceLb("Catwoman's fluffy cat is a cat", "(?i)(?<!fluffy\\W+)", /cat/ig, function ($0) {
    var first = $0.charAt(0);
    return first === first.toUpperCase() ? "Dog" : "dog";
}));
// -> "Dogwoman's fluffy cat is a dog"

Yes, JavaScript-the-standard supports lookahead, as do all browsers going back to IE 5.5.

I want to match the entire tag that contains some haml databinding script in an attribute
e.g.
'

'

Can this be achieved using matchLb? I don't understand how to match the string starting with < but ending with > and not !>.

sorry. to continue :

e.g.

<table id="r<!=id!>">

I want to match the to the < not preceded by a !.

Is this possible?

Ha! I should have 'known' it would be you to have an alternative for JS ;-)

Are you able to please provide a method for splitting that supports lookbehind? Thanks!

I made a small node wrapper for these. Thanks for providing them!

@ghost +1

I really need XRegExp.splitLb

I am terrible in regex. I have the following piece of code which is struggling with the look behind issue. can anyone help me solve it with provided code in the repo?

myString.replace(/\B(?<!\.\d*)(?=(\d{3})+(?!\d))/g,",")}

Is there a version to extend XRegExp instead of providing new methods? This suggestion is great but it doesn't polyfill the negative lookbehind, more like provides a standalone API to use it.