Problems with regexps

[Kirk Strauser]

OK, let me give a clearer demonstration.  Given this program:

    #!/usr/bin/env python

    import re

    sample = 'FOO= BAR'

    if re.search(r'[^=]\s+BAR', sample):
        print 'Match 1.'

    if re.search(r'[^=]\s*BAR', sample):
        print 'Match 2.'

When run, it produces "Match 2.".  Why?  I want to match:

   1) Anything but '=', followed by
   2) Zero or more spaces, followed by
   3) 'BAR'

The first pattern correct does *not* match.  Why doesn't the '= ' get struck
down by the '[^=]' pattern before a '\s+' but not before '\s*'?

Thanks,
-- 
Kirk Strauser
The Day Companies