regex: confusion

[NotNull]

regex:"(a)\1"

finds filenames containing an "a", followed directly by another "a", so xyzaa123.txt would match.

why doesn't

regex:(a)\1

- the same regex, but without the "" - give the same results?


Added to that:
With Enable Regex activated (Menu:Search),

(a)\1

finds the "aa" files, whereas

:"(a)\1"

gives zero results.

[void]

regex:(a)\1 appears to work OK here.

Is Tools -> Options -> Search -> Allow round bracket grouping enabled?

What is shown in the debug console after you perform this search?

[NotNull]

Is Tools -> Options -> Search -> Allow round bracket grouping enabled?

Yes!!
I have no idea why that setting was enabled. I don't use it as it can only give unpredictable results (and here is the proof of that .. ) so I didn't even bother to check the setting.

I think it is time to start with a clean INI.

Mystery solved. Thanks!!

[raccoon]

To round out this post, can someone identify all of the characters and symbols that are specially parsed by Everything keyword searches and would require quotation for `regex:`?

[void]

Everything search terms use the following syntax:

! prefix = NOT
space = AND
| = OR
< and > = Grouping

You can escape these special characters with double quotes (").

For example:

Everything will interpret:
regex:gr(a|e)y
as:
regex:gr(a OR e)y
note: gr(a is no longer a complete regex term and e)y is no longer a regex term.

regex:foo bar
as:
regex:foo AND bar
note: bar is no longer a regex term.


regex:!foo
as:
NOT regex:foo

This might not be what you expect.

With double quotes, Everything will interpret:
regex:"gr(a|e)y"
as the regular expression:
gr(a|e)y


Eating the | when using the regex: search modifier is in development.

If you want pure regex syntax, enable Match Regex from the Search menu.