# Help me to modify regular expression that is used for PL/SQL syntax highlighting

**URL:** <https://forums.toadworld.com/t/help-me-to-modify-regular-expression-that-is-used-for-pl-sql-syntax-highlighting/28161>\
**Category:** Toad for Oracle & DevOps Toolkit\
**Created:** [December 21, 2013, 1:44am UTC](https://forums.toadworld.com/t/help-me-to-modify-regular-expression-that-is-used-for-pl-sql-syntax-highlighting/28161 "2013-12-21T01:44:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![fgsfds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/cab0a1/32.png) [@fgsfds](https://forums.toadworld.com/u/fgsfds)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2013, 1:44am UTC](https://forums.toadworld.com/t/help-me-to-modify-regular-expression-that-is-used-for-pl-sql-syntax-highlighting/28161/1 "2013-12-21T01:44:53Z")

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I am experimenting with regular expressions in Toad Options \> Editor \> Behavior \> Syntax Highlighting \> Parser.

Looking to modify String: **(?s)(’|")(.\*?)(\1|\Z)** to match everything between quotes EXCEPT words that start with specific combination of character. For example xx\_ and xe\_

Output should be (matches are red):

cat dog ‘space xx\_cat rainbow xe\_space car cloud xx\_toad’ nothing

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**Author:** ![mstaszew](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/quest/user_avatar/forums.toadworld.com/mstaszew/32/23_2.png) [@mstaszew](https://forums.toadworld.com/u/mstaszew)\
**Post date:** [December 21, 2013, 5:45pm UTC](https://forums.toadworld.com/t/help-me-to-modify-regular-expression-that-is-used-for-pl-sql-syntax-highlighting/28161/2 "2013-12-21T17:45:32Z")

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At first glance I don't think that's possible with regex, but I have had several glasses of wine and I'm in a Christmas food coma at the moment. What's your use case for not wanting the entire string decorated uniformly?

On Dec 21, 2013, at 4:45 AM, "fgsfds" [bounce-fgsfds@toadworld.com](mailto:bounce-fgsfds@toadworld.com) wrote:

> **[Help me to modify regular expression that is used for PL/SQL syntax highlighting](http://www.toadworld.com/products/toad-for-oracle/f/10/t/21003.aspx)**

> Thread created by fgsfds  
> I am experimenting with regular expressions in Toad Options \> Editor \> Behavior \> Syntax Highlighting \> Parser.

> Looking to modify String: **(?s)('|")(.\*?)(\1|\Z)** to match everything between quotes EXCEPT words that start with specific combination of character. For example xx\_ and xe\_

> Output should be (matches are red):

> cat dog 'space xx\_cat  
> rainbow xe\_space  
> car cloud xx\_toad' nothing

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![fgsfds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/cab0a1/32.png) [@fgsfds](https://forums.toadworld.com/u/fgsfds)\
**Post date:** [December 22, 2013, 2:28am UTC](https://forums.toadworld.com/t/help-me-to-modify-regular-expression-that-is-used-for-pl-sql-syntax-highlighting/28161/3 "2013-12-22T02:28:22Z")

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Well, I am using background color for words that start with special prefixes like “xe\_” (Lots of such objects in my organization’s db). And I thought that it might be a nice idea to quickly find them in the big amount of code no matter where they are. Even in the string.

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**Author:** ![Bert\_Scalzo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/quest/user_avatar/forums.toadworld.com/bert_scalzo/32/274_2.png) [@Bert\_Scalzo](https://forums.toadworld.com/u/Bert_Scalzo)\
**Post date:** [December 22, 2013, 4:57am UTC](https://forums.toadworld.com/t/help-me-to-modify-regular-expression-that-is-used-for-pl-sql-syntax-highlighting/28161/4 "2013-12-22T04:57:35Z")

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I agree - very, very useful idea - maybe should be placed on toad idea pond so we call can vote on it.

I just wanted to state the non-obvious - it should work in strings as well as comments. Because if people are following good commenting guidelines, then comments as well as strings need to be in scope. I think that you said this by saying everything -  
I’m just overstating it just to be sure 🙂

Bert