Method: Regexp.last_match

Defined in:
re.c

.last_match ⇒ MatchData .last_match(n) ⇒ String

The first form returns the MatchData object generated by the last successful pattern match. Equivalent to reading the special global variable $~ (see Special global variables in Regexp for details).

The second form returns the nth field in this MatchData object. n can be a string or symbol to reference a named capture.

Note that the last_match is local to the thread and method scope of the method that did the pattern match.

/c(.)t/ =~ 'cat'        #=> 0
Regexp.last_match       #=> #<MatchData "cat" 1:"a">
Regexp.last_match(0)    #=> "cat"
Regexp.last_match(1)    #=> "a"
Regexp.last_match(2)    #=> nil

/(?<lhs>\w+)\s*=\s*(?<rhs>\w+)/ =~ "var = val"
Regexp.last_match       #=> #<MatchData "var = val" lhs:"var" rhs:"val">
Regexp.last_match(:lhs) #=> "var"
Regexp.last_match(:rhs) #=> "val"

Overloads:



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# File 're.c', line 3504

static VALUE
rb_reg_s_last_match(int argc, VALUE *argv)
{
    VALUE nth;

    if (argc > 0 && rb_scan_args(argc, argv, "01", &nth) == 1) {
        VALUE match = rb_backref_get();
        int n;
        if (NIL_P(match)) return Qnil;
        n = match_backref_number(match, nth);
	return rb_reg_nth_match(n, match);
    }
    return match_getter();
}