RegEx Replace
Replaces every part of a text that matches a regular expression.
RegEx Replace replaces every part of a text that matches a regular expression (RegEx). Use it when the text to replace follows a pattern rather than being a fixed value: mask all digits, remove every email address, or reorder the parts of a date.
Add the action
In the Process Designer toolbox, open String, then RegEx, and pick RegEx Replace (or type RegEx Replace in the search box). In the step's properties, click RegEx configuration to open the panel with the fields below.
Inputs and outputs
| Field | Direction | Type | Required | What to put / what you get |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| String to search in | Input | Text | Yes | The text to change. |
| RegEx expression | Input | Text | Yes | The regular expression, written without delimiters (no /.../). |
| Replace with | Input | Text | No | The replacement text. It can refer to groups of the match: $1, $2โฆ or ${name} for a named group. Leave it empty to delete every match. |
| Ignore case | Input | Boolean (true/false) | No | Ticked by default: uppercase and lowercase letters are treated as equal. Untick it for a case-sensitive replace, or when your expression uses lookarounds or backreferences (see below). |
| Output string | Output | Text | Yes | The text after all replacements. |
Example
| String to search in | RegEx expression | Replace with | Ignore case | Output string |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Call 0722 123 456 or 0733-999-000 | \d | # | off | Call #### ### ### or ####-###-### |
2024-11-10 | (\d{4})-(\d{2})-(\d{2}) | $3.$2.$1 | on | 10.11.2024 |
2024-11-10 | (?<y>\d{4})-(?<m>\d{2})-(?<d>\d{2}) | ${d}/${m}/${y} | off | 10/11/2024 |
price 10 | \d+ | $$$0 | off | price $10 |
a1b2c3 | \d | (empty) | off | abc |
Cat cat CAT | cat | dog | off | Cat dog CAT |
Cat cat CAT | cat | dog | on | dog dog dog |
Good to know
- Every match is replaced, not only the first.
- The RegEx syntax is the .NET flavour, including
$1/${name}in the replacement. Write$$for a literal dollar sign and$0for the whole match. - With Ignore case ticked, lookarounds and backreferences are not supported. Expressions with
(?=...),(?!...),(?<=...),(?<!...)or\1fail the step with a message that starts with "RegexOptions.NonBacktracking is not supported in conjunction with expressions containingโฆ". Untick Ignore case for these expressions. - An empty text gives an empty result. An invalid expression fails the step.
- To replace a fixed text, Replace is simpler: no characters need escaping.