Python - regex search for string which starts and ends with the given text
python, regex
Solution
The problem is that your pattern matches any string that comes after by `test_` and before `.py`, but that doesn't restrict it from having other characters before the `test_` or after the `.py`.
You need to use start (`^`) and end (`$`) anchors. Also, don't forget to escape the `.` character. Try this pattern:
(?<=^test_).+(?=\.py$)
Problem
I have a list of files, and I want to keep only the ones which start with 'test_' and end with '.py'. I want the regex to only return the text inside the 'test_' and '.py'. I do not want .pyc files included. I have tried: ``` >>>filename = 'test_foo.py' >>>re.search(r'(?<=test_).+(?=\.py)', filename).group() foo.py ``` but it still returns the extension, and will allow '.pyc' extensions (which I do not want). I'm pretty sure it's the '+' which is consuming the whole string. This works as a fallback, but I would prefer a regex solution: ``` >>>filename = 'test_foo.py' >>>result = filename.startswith('test_') and filename.endswith('.py') >>>result = result.replace('test_', '').replace('.py', '') >>>print result foo ```