PHPStorm Regex Replace "Malformed Replacement String"

Jan 24, 2013 · 2 minute read
Category: phpstorm

If you are struggling using PHPStorm to find and replace code with Regex rules then this is your solution.

The problem is that when using the $ sign in your replacement string it confuses it because PHP Storm uses the $ sign to represent sub pattern replacements.

Take the following example code:

$data = array();
$form=$page->find('form.edit_product', 0);

//standard inputs
$inputs = $form->find('input[type="text"]');
foreach($inputs as $input){
    $data[$input->name]=$input->value;
}

//radio inputs
$inputs = $form->find('input[type="radio"]');
foreach($inputs as $input){
    if($input->checked){
        $data[$input->name]=$input->value;
    }
}

//checkbox inputs
$inputs = $form->find('input[type="checkbox"]');
foreach($inputs as $input){
    if($input->checked){
        $data[$input->name]=$input->value;
    }
}

//textareas
$textareas = $form->find('textarea');
foreach($textareas as $textarea){
    $data[$textarea->name]=$textarea->innertext;
}

And trying to replace the key being used in the data array with a processed one calling a method $this->dataName($key) to generate the following code:

$data = array();
$form=$page->find('form.edit_product', 0);

//standard inputs
$inputs = $form->find('input[type="text"]');
foreach($inputs as $input){
    $data[$this->dataName($input->name)]=$input->value;
}

//radio inputs
$inputs = $form->find('input[type="radio"]');
foreach($inputs as $input){
    if($input->checked){
        $data[$this->dataName($input->name)]=$input->value;
    }
}

//checkbox inputs
$inputs = $form->find('input[type="checkbox"]');
foreach($inputs as $input){
    if($input->checked){
        $data[$this->dataName($input->name)]=$input->value;
    }
}

//textareas
$textareas = $form->find('textarea');
foreach($textareas as $textarea){
    $data[$this->dataName($textarea->name)]=$textarea->innertext;
}

You might try the find pattern:


\$data\[\$([^-]+)->name\]

And the replace pattern:


\$data\[\$this->dataName(\$$1->name)\]

However this will give you the dreaded “malformed replacement string” Error

The solution is simply to triple escape your dollar signs, so the replacement pattern becomes:


\\\$data\[\\\$this->dataName(\\\$$1->name\)\]

And it works, woot!

Also when it does work, PHP Storms replacement preview feature is really quite nice