File-MultilineGrep To be considered text files having repeated structures. These structures possess repeated start delimiter, optional stop delimiter and variable contents. That is some or all fields of these structures are optional. A task is to select all whole structures, that contain a specified pattern. This can be done using a multiline regular expressions. But there is a performance issue: Processing time using regular expression is not directly proportional to amount of structures, so that increasing of this amount might cause the reqular expression will never finish. Processing time of the proposed function is directly proportional to amount of structures. file_multiline_grep( $begin_pattern # regular expression , $finish_pattern # optional parameter, regular expression , $middle_pattern # regular expression , $numeration # if false - not enumerate output lines , $input_file # optional parameter # if false - read from STDIN , $output_separator); # optional parameter EXAMPLE use File::MultilineGrep; file_multiline_grep ('person_id' , 'end_person' , 'Giant' , 'enumerate_lines' , 'most_famous_people' , '------ reads all records from a file 'most_famous_people' (where line enumeration doesn't belong to the file): 1 person_id - 001 2 profession - Prophet 3 first name - Moses 4 birthyear - 1391 BCE 5 end_person 6 ... 7 person_id - 002 8 profession - Giant 9 first name - Samson 10 birthyear - Unknown 11 end_person 12 ... 13 person_id - 003 14 profession - King 15 first name - David 16 birthyear - 1040 BCE 17 end_person 18 ... 19 person_id - 004 20 profession - Giant 21 first name - Goliath 22 birthyear - 135 BCE 23 end_person that begin with 'person_id', finish with 'end_person' and contain a pattern 'Giant': 7: person_id - 002 8= profession - Giant 9: first name - Samson 10: birthyear - Unknown 11: end_person ------ 19: person_id - 004 20= profession - Giant 21: first name - Goliath 22: birthyear - 135 BCE 23: end_person ------ INSTALLATION To install this module, run the following commands: perl Makefile.PL make make test make install SUPPORT AND DOCUMENTATION After installing, you can find documentation for this module with the perldoc command. perldoc File::MultilineGrep You can also look for information at: RT, CPAN's request tracker (report bugs here) http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/Bugs.html?Dist=File-MultilineGrep AnnoCPAN, Annotated CPAN documentation http://annocpan.org/dist/File-MultilineGrep CPAN Ratings http://cpanratings.perl.org/d/File-MultilineGrep Search CPAN http://search.cpan.org/dist/File-MultilineGrep/ LICENSE AND COPYRIGHT Copyright (C) 2013 Mart E. Rivilis This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the the Artistic License (2.0). You may obtain a copy of the full license at: L Any use, modification, and distribution of the Standard or Modified Versions is governed by this Artistic License. By using, modifying or distributing the Package, you accept this license. Do not use, modify, or distribute the Package, if you do not accept this license. If your Modified Version has been derived from a Modified Version made by someone other than you, you are nevertheless required to ensure that your Modified Version complies with the requirements of this license. This license does not grant you the right to use any trademark, service mark, tradename, or logo of the Copyright Holder. This license includes the non-exclusive, worldwide, free-of-charge patent license to make, have made, use, offer to sell, sell, import and otherwise transfer the Package with respect to any patent claims licensable by the Copyright Holder that are necessarily infringed by the Package. If you institute patent litigation (including a cross-claim or counterclaim) against any party alleging that the Package constitutes direct or contributory patent infringement, then this Artistic License to you shall terminate on the date that such litigation is filed. Disclaimer of Warranty: THE PACKAGE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS' AND WITHOUT ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES. THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT ARE DISCLAIMED TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY YOUR LOCAL LAW. UNLESS REQUIRED BY LAW, NO COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTOR WILL BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THE PACKAGE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.