Regex - replace special characters

[Aaliya Seth]

Hello,
My application crashes when I try to replace these characters "* \?" Yet I have to filter them under windows because it is impossible to create a directory with these characters. I am trying to replace special characters. But this is not working for me.
Here is my code

if(! query.getText().equals("")){
              / / Create the tree
              pt = zept.getText();//+"/"+ requete.getText () / / tree management
              File fb = new File(pt);
              fb.mkdir();
              rqnm = query.getText();
              rqnm = rqnm.replaceAll(":","_");
            / / rqnm = rqnm.replaceAll ( "\ \ ","");
              rqnm = rqnm.replaceAll("<"," ");
              rqnm = rqnm.replaceAll(">"," ");
              rqnm = rqnm.replaceAll("|"," ");
            / / rqnm = rqnm.replaceAll ("?"," ");
              rqnm = rqnm.replaceAll("/"," ");
            / / rqnm = rqnm.replaceAll ("*"," ");
          	 
              pt = zept.getText()+"/"+ rqnm; / / tree management
              File fl = new File(pt);
              fl.mkdir();

Please check the code and if you have any idea about it then please do post back.

[cyber-noob]

Hello,
Some of these characters are interpreted by specific regexp. For example * means that the preceding element can be present 0 or more times. So if you used the wrong regular expression is incorrect and will cause an exception.
You have to protect them with a double \:

rqnm. = rqnm..replaceAll ( "\\*"," ");

[WinDoWLoCuS]

Hello,
If you want to try for the backslash, then you can try the following.

rqnm. = rqnm..replaceAll("<a href ="http:/ / www.example.net/forums/ "target =" _blank "> \ \ \ \ </ a >","");

So for the characters? and * you have to be preceded by \ \ because they are also special characters. Hope this information will help you, if not then please post back with your query and we will try to solve the problem.

[NetWorkInG]

Hello,
A small peek into the javadoc have said that the method replaceAll() Class String expects a regular expression to its first parameter. The characters '*', '?', '\' Are reserved characters for regular expressions you must escape hence.

rqnm. = rqnm..replaceAll("\\\\"," ");
rqnm. = rqnm..replaceAll("\\*"," ");
rqnm. = rqnm..replaceAll("\\?"," ");

Moreover, it is the same for the character '|'
Code:

rqnm. = rqnm..replaceAll("\\|"," ");

[Aaliya Seth]

Hello,
This is my updated code, please check if it is correct, and if you find something wrong in the code the please correct me.

if(! query.getText().equals("")){
              / / Create the tree
              pt = zept.getText(); / / tree management
              File fl = new File(pt);
              fl.mkdir();
              if(System.getProperty("os.name").startsWith("Windows"))  
              {
               rqnm. = query.getText();
               rqnm. = rqnm..replaceAll(":|\\\\|/", "_").replaceAll("<|>|\\||\\?|/|\\*"," ");

               pt = zept.getText()+"/"+ rqnm.; / / tree management
              File fl2 = new File(pt);
              fl2.mkdir();
              }
              else {
            	  pt = zept.getText()+"/"+ query.getText(); / / tree management
                  File fl2 = new File(pt);
                  fl2.mkdir();
              }

[HardWeaR]

Hello,
I have a code with me, please check it and see, if it helps you.

 Pattern p = Pattern.compile("(xxxxxxx)(?=.*?\\|)");  
 Matcher m = p.mcher(test);  
 System.out.println("test :" + test);  
 StringBuffer bf = new StringBuffer();  
   
 while (m.find()) {          
 String groupStr = m.group();              
             switch(groupStr.charAt(0)) {  
               
             case 'x' : m.appendReplacement(bf, "u");                 
                break;  
             case 'x' : m.appendReplacement(bf, "U");                 
            break;  
             case 'x' : m.appendReplacement(bf, "a");                 
                     break;  
             case 'x' : m.appendReplacement(bf, "A");                 
                     break;  
             case 'x' : m.appendReplacement(bf, "o");                 
                     break;  
             case 'x' : m.appendReplacement(bf, "O");                 
                     break;  
             case 'x' : m.appendReplacement(bf, "B");                 
            break;  
         //default  : break;              
             }                                      
     }  
 m.appendTail(bf);  
 System.out.println("bffer : " + bf.toString());  
 }  
 }