How do I parse a text file for coord pairs?

Take a look at a post I made earlier this month:

/forums/p/14625/24977.aspx#24977

Assume the variable line has one line from the file. Then run the following code to store the coordinates in variable coord:
        rexCompile( "[xyXY] *[=:]")
        coord = rexReplace( line " " 0)
        rexCompile( "[(){}=,:]")
        coord = rexReplace( coord " " 0)
        rexCompile( "\\. ")
        coord = rexReplace( coord " " 0)
        coord = parseString(coord)
        ;Get only the numbers from the rest of the data
        coord=mapcar( 'aelNumber coord)
        ;Keep non-nil values
        coord=setof(x coord x)

Derek

Thanks Derik!!

Can someone explain what this line is doing? 

rexCompile( "[xyXY] *[=:]")

Where can I find instructions or examples of what rexCompile considers regular expressions?

Thanks 

The square brackets are used to specify a possible set of matches. This particular line finds any one of the following:

rexCompile( "[xyXY] *[=:]")

x=
X =
x:
y:
Y   =

The following rexReplace will remove the X= or X: or Y= or Y: and replace it with a space. What the code is doing is trying to remove any characters that might be next to a number without a space. It is very common for x=1 to appear or y:3 to appear. The regular expression is replaced with a space so we can run the parseString in a later step.

rexCompile( "[(){}=,:]")
This will find and replace the equal sign, parentheses, commas, braces and colons. Again the goal is to isolate the number.

 rexCompile( "\\. ")
The removes a period followed by a space to differentiate a float from an integer.

Derek

 Thanks again Derek!!

In what manual/web page can I find instructions on regular expressions for skill?

They are very useful.

 Vaughn

In the Skill Language User Guide, look for "Pattern Matching".

 Derek