MatchCollection class

Holds the Match objects that a regular expression finds in a string.

The Execute method of RegExp returns a MatchCollection. When the Global property of the expression is True, the collection holds every match. Otherwise it holds the first match only. A string in which the pattern finds nothing gives an empty collection.

The collection is read by position, and the position is zero-based, as in the VBScript object model that the package replaces. Item is the default member, so matches(0) is the same as matches.Item(0). For Each goes through the matches in the order they were found.

Dim re As New RegExp
re.Pattern = "\d+"
re.Global = True

Dim matches As MatchCollection
Set matches = re.Execute("a1 b22 c333")
Debug.Print matches.Count     ' 3
Debug.Print matches(1).Value  ' 22

Dim s As String
Dim m As Match
For Each m In matches
    s = s & "[" & m.Value & "]"
Next
Debug.Print s                 ' [1][22][333]

The class has no member that adds or removes a match: only Execute fills a MatchCollection.

Properties

  • Count – returns the number of matches
  • Item – returns one match by position (the default member)

Methods

  • NewEnum – returns the enumerator that For Each uses (hidden)

See Also