# Error with format regexp compared to regular replace with regular expression **URL:** \ **Category:** Support\ **Created:** [February 6, 2018, 11:37am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/error-with-format-regexp-compared-to-regular-replace-with-regular-expression/19775 "2018-02-06T11:37:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![stevehero](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/stevehero/32/337_2.png) [@stevehero](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/stevehero)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2018, 11:37am UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/error-with-format-regexp-compared-to-regular-replace-with-regular-expression/19775/1 "2018-02-06T11:37:53Z")
The below works with the replace with reg exp action: ``` Replace: ([^\s,]+) Replace With: [url="https://urlhere=$1"]$1[/url] ``` But this doesn't in the format regexp function. ``` $regexp(%artist%,([^\s,]+?),[url="https://urlhere=$1"]$1[/url]) ``` It returns an error: ``` "REGEXP ERROR: Regular expression Invalid preceding regular expression prior to repetition operator. The error occurred while parsing the regular expression: '(+?>>>HERE>>>)'." ``` Is this a bug? I cannot use ' between ([^\s,]+) as it leads to unwanted results. And I need the $regexp fn as it's for use in an export file. Basically what I want is: String is: ``` test1, test2, test3 ``` Output: ``` [url=https://urlhere=test1]test1[/url], [url=https://urlhere=test2]test2[/url], [url=https://urlhere=test3]test3[/url] ``` My brain is not functioning properly today and can't figure it out. Cheers. ---
**Author:** ![stevehero](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/stevehero/32/337_2.png) [@stevehero](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/stevehero)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2018, 12:09pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/error-with-format-regexp-compared-to-regular-replace-with-regular-expression/19775/2 "2018-02-06T12:09:03Z")
Think I got it. **works** ``` $regexp(%artist%,'([^,]+[^\s]+)',aaa$1bbb) ``` **doesn't** ``` $regexp(%artist%,'([^,\s]+)',aaa$1bbb) ``` Possibly a bug, I don't know. **Nope still not working when the artist is.** ``` test1, test2, test3 ``` Only works with as artist test1 ---
**Author:** ![DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/detlevd/32/123_2.png) [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2018, 12:23pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/error-with-format-regexp-compared-to-regular-replace-with-regular-expression/19775/3 "2018-02-06T12:23:42Z")
> [@stevehero](#): > > ... Invalid preceding regular expression prior to repetition operator. ... Trying to understand ... `'#'$regexp('test1, test2, test3','([^\s,]+?)','x')'#'` ==\> `'#xxxxx, xxxxx, xxxxx#'` ... where is the problem? DD.20180206.1423.CET ---
**Author:** ![stevehero](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/stevehero/32/337_2.png) [@stevehero](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/stevehero)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2018, 12:32pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/error-with-format-regexp-compared-to-regular-replace-with-regular-expression/19775/4 "2018-02-06T12:32:57Z")
Thanks. > [@DetlevD](#): > > Trying to understand ... Example from 1st post modified below for clearer understanding: Artist string is: ``` artist1, artist2, artist3 ``` Required output of artist to export script: ``` [url=https://urlhere=artist1]artist1[/url], [url=https://urlhere=artist2]artist2[/url], [url=https://urlhere=artist3]artist3[/url] ``` Notice each of the artists 1, 2 & 3 are used twice for the URL and the text display. ---
**Author:** ![DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/detlevd/32/123_2.png) [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2018, 1:20pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/error-with-format-regexp-compared-to-regular-replace-with-regular-expression/19775/5 "2018-02-06T13:20:05Z")
```auto $regexp('test1, test2, test3','(\w+)(,?)','[url="https://urlhere=$1"]$1[/url]$2') ==> [url="https://urlhere=test1"]test1[/url], [url="https://urlhere=test2"]test2[/url], [url="https://urlhere=test3"]test3[/url] ``` DD.20180206.1520.CET ---
**Author:** ![stevehero](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/stevehero/32/337_2.png) [@stevehero](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/stevehero)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2018, 1:27pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/error-with-format-regexp-compared-to-regular-replace-with-regular-expression/19775/6 "2018-02-06T13:27:42Z")
[quote="DetlevD, post: 5, topic:19775"]
```
$regexp('test1, test2, test3','(\w+)(,?)','[$1](https://urlhere=$1)$2') ==\> [test1](https://urlhere=test1), [test2](https://urlhere=test2), [test3](https://urlhere=test3) ```auto [/quote] I can do that with my non-working version. If you try this it doesn't work with artists with more than one word. Sorry for not giving that example. Try Artist string: This Artist1, This Artist2, This Artist3 That's why I was trying the don't match `,\s` to alleviate any problems but it appears the $regpexp fn is written differently than the replace with regular expression action as the $regexp one fails where the action does not. ``` ---
**Author:** ![stevehero](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/stevehero/32/337_2.png) [@stevehero](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/stevehero)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2018, 1:55pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/error-with-format-regexp-compared-to-regular-replace-with-regular-expression/19775/7 "2018-02-06T13:55:11Z")
**Got a working version:** Seems hacky but it works: ``` $regexp('This Artist 1, This Artist 2, This Artist 3','\s*([^\,]+[^,\s])','[url="https://urlhere=$1"]$1[/url]') ``` resulted in: **notice no space between ,** ``` [url="https://urlhere=This Artist 1"]This Artist 1[/url],[url="https://urlhere=This Artist 2"]This Artist 2[/url],[url="https://urlhere=This Artist 3"]This Artist 3[/url] ``` EDIT: ``` $trim($regexp('This Artist 1, This Artist 2, This Artist 3','(,*)\s*([^\,]+[^,\s])','$1 [url="https://urlhere=$2"]$2[/url]')) ``` RESULTS: [This Artist 1](https://urlhere=This%20Artist%201), [This Artist 2](https://urlhere=This%20Artist%202), [This Artist 3](https://urlhere=This%20Artist%203) ---
**Author:** ![DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/detlevd/32/123_2.png) [@DetlevD](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/DetlevD)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2018, 2:30pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/error-with-format-regexp-compared-to-regular-replace-with-regular-expression/19775/8 "2018-02-06T14:30:59Z")
> [@stevehero](#): > > **Got a working version:** Yes, that's looking good and works ok. Thank you. DD.20180206.1630.CET ---
**Author:** ![stevehero](https://community.mp3tag.de/user_avatar/community.mp3tag.de/stevehero/32/337_2.png) [@stevehero](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/stevehero)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2018, 2:43pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/error-with-format-regexp-compared-to-regular-replace-with-regular-expression/19775/9 "2018-02-06T14:43:48Z")
> [@DetlevD](#): > > Yes, that's looking good and works ok... No probs. I still maintain there might be something wrong in the $regexp fn. Maybe not. Glad there's a solution. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://community.mp3tag.de/uploads/default/original/2X/c/ce7035d426cb755a7916793326d23b465222a407.png) [@system](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2026, 12:27pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/error-with-format-regexp-compared-to-regular-replace-with-regular-expression/19775/10 "2026-02-09T12:27:13Z")