gensub and variables as regexp and replacement

[uruski]

Let's say there is a file with two lines:

xxx123yyy
xxx333yyy


I want to use gensub function, when regexp pattern and replacement are kept in variables. Lets say script looks like this:

BEGIN{
pattern="/^xxx(.+)yyy$/";
output="\\1";
}

{
print gensub(pattern,output,"g",$0);
}


I'd expect to have
123
333
but in fact pattern did not match any line, and output is
xxx123yyy
xxx333yyy

Any ideas how to use pattern from a variable ?
regards

 

[feherke]

Hi

Use the slashes only when you specify the regular expression as is.

pattern="^xxx(.+)yyy$";

Feherke.

http://rootshell.be/~feherke/