str_replace/str_detect with original meaning instead of regex

Asked Jun 08 '20 at 13:28

Active Jun 08 '20 at 13:28

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I write on a function that replaces strings but in one part it should replace a text as it is without regular expressions.

In some cases there are regular expressions in it but I want that they are not seen as one. For example str_replace("0.5 (p-value = 0.04)", "(p-value = 0.04)", "foo") leads to "0.5 (foo)" because of the regex-meanings of ( and ). My desired result is "0.5 foo", I want them to be seen as they are.

I know, I can use str_replace("0.5 (p-value = 0.04)", "\$p-value = 0.04\$", "foo") but I want a general solutions for all other regular expressions like ^, $, ?, . ...

Is there an easy function for this?

asked Jun 08 '20 at 13:28

TobiSonne

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`regex.escape <- function(string) { gsub("([][{}()+*^$|\\\\?.])", "\\\\\\1", string) }` – Wiktor Stribiżew Jun 08 '20 at 13:31
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Use `gsub` wirh `fixed = TRUE`: `gsub("(p-value = 0.04)", "foo", "0.5 (p-value = 0.04)", fixed = TRUE)` – GKi Jun 08 '20 at 13:35
@GKi: Thank you very much, that is exactly what I was looking for! I use `stringi::str_replace_all_fixed`, but that should be the same – TobiSonne Jun 08 '20 at 13:37
I think it's `stringi::stri_replace_all_fixed` – GKi Jun 08 '20 at 13:40
Oh, of course, my bad! – TobiSonne Jun 08 '20 at 13:45

str_replace/str_detect with original meaning instead of regex

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