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A nice way to use regex for complicate parsing

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aspineux

unread,
Mar 29, 2007, 10:34:47 AM3/29/07
to

My goal is to write a parser for these imaginary string from the SMTP
protocol, regarding RFC 821 and 1869.
I'm a little flexible with the BNF from these RFC :-)
Any comment ?

tests=[ 'MAIL FROM:<john....@address.com>',
'MAIL FROM:john....@address.com',
'MAIL FROM:<john....@address.com> SIZE=1234
OTHER=f...@bar.com',
'MAIL FROM:john....@address.com SIZE=1234
OTHER=f...@bar.com',
'MAIL FROM:<"this@is.a> legal=email"@address.com>',
'MAIL FROM:"this@is.a> legal=email"@address.com',
'MAIL FROM:<"this@is.a> legal=email"@address.com> SIZE=1234
OTHER=f...@bar.com',
'MAIL FROM:"this@is.a> legal=email"@address.com SIZE=1234
OTHER=f...@bar.com',
]

def RN(name, regex):
"""protect using () and give an optional name to a regex"""
if name:
return r'(?P<%s>%s)' % (name, regex)
else:
return r'(?:%s)' % regex


regex={}

# <dotnum> ::= <snum> "." <snum> "." <snum> "." <snum>
regex['dotnum']=RN(None, r'[012]?\d?\d\.[012]?\d?\d\.[012]?\d?\d\.
[012]?\d?\d' % regex)
# <dot-string> ::= <string> | <string> "." <dot-string>
regex['dot_string']=RN(None, r'[a-zA-Z0-9]+(?:\.[a-zA-Z0-9]+)*' %
regex)
# <domain> ::= <element> | <element> "." <domain>
regex['domain']=RN('domain', r'%(dotnum)s|%(dot_string)s' % regex)
# <q> ::= any one of the 128 ASCII characters except <CR>, <LF>, quote
("), or backslash (\)
regex['q']=RN(None, r'[^\n\r"\\]' % regex)
# <x> ::= any one of the 128 ASCII characters (no exceptions)
regex['x']=RN(None, r'.' % regex)
# <qtext> ::= "\" <x> | "\" <x> <qtext> | <q> | <q> <qtext>
regex['qtext']=RN(None, r'(?:\\%(x)s|%(q)s)+' % regex)
# <quoted-string> ::= """ <qtext> """
regex['quoted_string']=RN('quoted_string', r'"%(qtext)s"' % regex)
# <local-part> ::= <dot-string> | <quoted-string>
regex['local_part']=RN('local_part', r'%(quoted_string)s|%
(dot_string)s' % regex)
# <mailbox> ::= <local-part> "@" <domain>
regex['mailbox']=RN('mailbox', r'%(local_part)s@%(domain)s' % regex)
# <path> ::= "<" [ <a-d-l> ":" ] <mailbox> ">"
# also accept address without <>
regex['path']=RN('path', r'(?P<path_lt><)?%(mailbox)s(?(path_lt)>)' %
regex)
# esmtp-keyword ::= (ALPHA / DIGIT) *(ALPHA / DIGIT / "-")
regex['esmtp_keyword']=RN(None, r'[a-zA-Z0-9][-a-zA-Z0-9]*' % regex)
# esmtp-value ::= 1*<any CHAR excluding "=", SP, and all ;
syntax and values depend on esmtp-keyword
# control characters (US ASCII 0-31inclusive)>
regex['esmtp_value']=RN(None, r'[^= \t\r\n\f\v]*' % regex)
# esmtp-parameter ::= esmtp-keyword ["=" esmtp-value]
regex['esmtp_parameter']=RN(None, r'%(esmtp_keyword)s(?:=%
(esmtp_value)s)?' % regex)
# esmtp-parameter ::= esmtp-keyword ["=" esmtp-value]
regex['esmtp_parameters']=RN('esmtp_parameters', r'%
(esmtp_parameter)s(?:\s+%(esmtp_parameter)s)+' % regex)
# esmtp-cmd ::= inner-esmtp-cmd [SP esmtp-parameters] CR LF
regex['esmtp_addr']=RN('esmtp_addr', r'%(path)s(?:\s+%
(esmtp_parameters)s)?' % regex)

for t in tests:
for keyword in [ 'MAIL FROM:', 'RCPT TO:' ]:
keylen=len(keyword)
if t[:keylen].upper()==keyword:
t=t[keylen:]
break

match=re.match(regex['esmtp_addr'], t)
if match:
print 'MATCH local_part=%(local_part)s domain=%(domain)s
esmtp_parameters=%(esmtp_parameters)s' % match.groupdict()
else:
print 'DONT match', t

Shane Geiger

unread,
Mar 29, 2007, 10:42:50 AM3/29/07
to aspineux, pytho...@python.org
It would be worth learning pyparsing to do this.

--
Shane Geiger
IT Director
National Council on Economic Education
sge...@ncee.net | 402-438-8958 | http://www.ncee.net

Leading the Campaign for Economic and Financial Literacy

sgeiger.vcf

Paul McGuire

unread,
Mar 29, 2007, 11:33:50 AM3/29/07
to
On Mar 29, 9:42 am, Shane Geiger <sgei...@ncee.net> wrote:
> It would be worth learning pyparsing to do this.
>

Thanks to Shane and Steven for the ref to pyparsing. I also was
struck by this post, thinking "this is pyparsing written in re's and
dicts".

The approach you are taking is *very* much like the thought process I
went through when first implementing pyparsing. I wanted to easily
compose expressions from other expressions. In your case, you are
string interpolating using a cumulative dict of prior expressions.
Pyparsing uses various subclasses of the ParserElement class, with
operator definitions for alternation ("|" or "^" depending on non-
greedy vs. greedy), composition ("+"), and negation ("~"). Pyparsing
also uses its own extended results construct, ParseResults, which
supports named results fields, accessible using list indicies, dict
names, or instance names.

Here is the pyparsing treatment of your example (I may not have gotten
every part correct, but my point is more the similarity of our
approaches). Note the access to the smtp parameters via the Dict
transformer.

-- Paul


from pyparsing import *

# <dotnum> ::= <snum> "." <snum> "." <snum> "." <snum>

intgr = Word(nums)
dotnum = Combine(intgr + "." + intgr + "." + intgr + "." + intgr)

# <dot-string> ::= <string> | <string> "." <dot-string>

string_ = Word(alphanums)
dotstring = Combine(delimitedList(string_,"."))

# <domain> ::= <element> | <element> "." <domain>

domain = dotnum | dotstring

# <q> ::= any one of the 128 ASCII characters except <CR>, <LF>, quote
("), or backslash (\)

# <x> ::= any one of the 128 ASCII characters (no exceptions)

# <qtext> ::= "\" <x> | "\" <x> <qtext> | <q> | <q> <qtext>

# <quoted-string> ::= """ <qtext> """
quotedString = dblQuotedString # <- just use pre-defined expr from
pyparsing

# <local-part> ::= <dot-string> | <quoted-string>

localpart = (dotstring | quotedString).setResultsName("localpart")

# <mailbox> ::= <local-part> "@" <domain>

mailbox = Combine(localpart + "@" + domain).setResultsName("mailbox")

# <path> ::= "<" [ <a-d-l> ":" ] <mailbox> ">"
# also accept address without <>

path = "<" + mailbox + ">" | mailbox

# esmtp-keyword ::= (ALPHA / DIGIT) *(ALPHA / DIGIT / "-")

esmtpkeyword = Word(alphanums,alphanums+"-")

# esmtp-value ::= 1*<any CHAR excluding "=", SP, and all

esmtpvalue = Regex(r'[^= \t\r\n\f\v]*')

# ; syntax and values depend on esmtp-keyword


# control characters (US ASCII 0-31inclusive)>

# esmtp-parameter ::= esmtp-keyword ["=" esmtp-value]
# esmtp-parameter ::= esmtp-keyword ["=" esmtp-value]

esmtpparameters = Dict(
ZeroOrMore( Group(esmtpkeyword + Suppress("=") + esmtpvalue) ) )

# esmtp-cmd ::= inner-esmtp-cmd [SP esmtp-parameters] CR LF

esmtp_addr = path + \
Optional(esmtpparameters,default=[])\
.setResultsName("parameters")

for t in tests:
for keyword in [ 'MAIL FROM:', 'RCPT TO:' ]:
keylen=len(keyword)
if t[:keylen].upper()==keyword:
t=t[keylen:]
break

try:
match = esmtp_addr.parseString(t)
print 'MATCH'
print match.dump()
# some sample code to access elements of the parameters
"dict"
if "SIZE" in match.parameters:
print "SIZE is", match.parameters.SIZE
print
except ParseException,pe:


print 'DONT match', t

prints:
MATCH
['<', ['johnsmith@addresscom'], '>']
- mailbox: ['johnsmith@addresscom']
- localpart: johnsmith
- parameters: []

MATCH
[['johnsmith@addresscom']]
- mailbox: ['johnsmith@addresscom']
- localpart: johnsmith
- parameters: []

MATCH
['<', ['johnsmith@addresscom'], '>', ['SIZE', '1234'], ['OTHER',
'f...@bar.com']]
- OTHER: f...@bar.com
- SIZE: 1234
- mailbox: ['johnsmith@addresscom']
- localpart: johnsmith
- parameters: [['SIZE', '1234'], ['OTHER', 'f...@bar.com']]
- OTHER: f...@bar.com
- SIZE: 1234
SIZE is 1234

MATCH
[['johnsmith@addresscom'], ['SIZE', '1234'], ['OTHER', 'f...@bar.com']]
- OTHER: f...@bar.com
- SIZE: 1234
- mailbox: ['johnsmith@addresscom']
- localpart: johnsmith
- parameters: [['SIZE', '1234'], ['OTHER', 'f...@bar.com']]
- OTHER: f...@bar.com
- SIZE: 1234
SIZE is 1234

MATCH
['<', ['"tom@is.a> legal=email"@addresscom'], '>']
- mailbox: ['"tom@is.a> legal=email"@addresscom']
- localpart: "tom@is.a> legal=email"
- parameters: []

MATCH
[['"tom@is.a> legal=email"@addresscom']]
- mailbox: ['"tom@is.a> legal=email"@addresscom']
- localpart: "tom@is.a> legal=email"
- parameters: []

MATCH
['<', ['"tom@is.a> legal=email"@addresscom'], '>', ['SIZE', '1234'],
['OTHER', 'f...@bar.com']]
- OTHER: f...@bar.com
- SIZE: 1234
- mailbox: ['"tom@is.a> legal=email"@addresscom']
- localpart: "tom@is.a> legal=email"
- parameters: [['SIZE', '1234'], ['OTHER', 'f...@bar.com']]
- OTHER: f...@bar.com
- SIZE: 1234
SIZE is 1234

MATCH
[['"tom@is.a> legal=email"@addresscom'], ['SIZE', '1234'], ['OTHER',
'f...@bar.com']]
- OTHER: f...@bar.com
- SIZE: 1234
- mailbox: ['"tom@is.a> legal=email"@addresscom']
- localpart: "tom@is.a> legal=email"
- parameters: [['SIZE', '1234'], ['OTHER', 'f...@bar.com']]
- OTHER: f...@bar.com
- SIZE: 1234
SIZE is 1234

aspineux

unread,
Mar 30, 2007, 9:23:17 AM3/30/07
to
On 29 mar, 17:33, "Paul McGuire" <p...@austin.rr.com> wrote:
> On Mar 29, 9:42 am, Shane Geiger <sgei...@ncee.net> wrote:
>
> > It would be worth learning pyparsing to do this.
>
> Thanks to Shane and Steven for the ref to pyparsing. I also was
> struck by this post, thinking "this is pyparsing written in re's and
> dicts".

My first idea was : why learn a parsing library if I can do it using
're'
and dicts :-)

>
> The approach you are taking is *very* much like the thought process I
> went through when first implementing pyparsing. I wanted to easily
> compose expressions from other expressions. In your case, you are
> string interpolating using a cumulative dict of prior expressions.
> Pyparsing uses various subclasses of the ParserElement class, with
> operator definitions for alternation ("|" or "^" depending on non-
> greedy vs. greedy), composition ("+"), and negation ("~"). Pyparsing
> also uses its own extended results construct, ParseResults, which
> supports named results fields, accessible using list indicies, dict
> names, or instance names.
>
> Here is the pyparsing treatment of your example (I may not have gotten
> every part correct, but my point is more the similarity of our
> approaches). Note the access to the smtp parameters via the Dict
> transformer.
>
> -- Paul

Thanks !

Any parsing library I used before were heavy to start with.
The benefit was inversely proportional to the size of the project.
Your look to be lighter, and the results are more easily usable.

Thanks for showing me your lib.

Anyway today I will keep my idea for small parsing.


Alain

> '...@bar.com']]


> - OTHER: f...@bar.com
> - SIZE: 1234
> - mailbox: ['johnsmith@addresscom']
> - localpart: johnsmith

> - parameters: [['SIZE', '1234'], ['OTHER', '...@bar.com']]


> - OTHER: f...@bar.com
> - SIZE: 1234
> SIZE is 1234
>
> MATCH

> [['johnsmith@addresscom'], ['SIZE', '1234'], ['OTHER', '...@bar.com']]


> - OTHER: f...@bar.com
> - SIZE: 1234
> - mailbox: ['johnsmith@addresscom']
> - localpart: johnsmith

> - parameters: [['SIZE', '1234'], ['OTHER', '...@bar.com']]


> - OTHER: f...@bar.com
> - SIZE: 1234
> SIZE is 1234
>
> MATCH

> ['<', ['"t...@is.a> legal=email"@addresscom'], '>']
> - mailbox: ['"t...@is.a> legal=email"@addresscom']
> - localpart: "t...@is.a> legal=email"
> - parameters: []
>
> MATCH
> [['"t...@is.a> legal=email"@addresscom']]
> - mailbox: ['"t...@is.a> legal=email"@addresscom']
> - localpart: "t...@is.a> legal=email"
> - parameters: []
>
> MATCH
> ['<', ['"t...@is.a> legal=email"@addresscom'], '>', ['SIZE', '1234'],
> ['OTHER', '...@bar.com']]


> - OTHER: f...@bar.com
> - SIZE: 1234

> - mailbox: ['"t...@is.a> legal=email"@addresscom']
> - localpart: "t...@is.a> legal=email"
> - parameters: [['SIZE', '1234'], ['OTHER', '...@bar.com']]


> - OTHER: f...@bar.com
> - SIZE: 1234
> SIZE is 1234
>
> MATCH

> [['"t...@is.a> legal=email"@addresscom'], ['SIZE', '1234'], ['OTHER',
> '...@bar.com']]


> - OTHER: f...@bar.com
> - SIZE: 1234

> - mailbox: ['"t...@is.a> legal=email"@addresscom']
> - localpart: "t...@is.a> legal=email"
> - parameters: [['SIZE', '1234'], ['OTHER', '...@bar.com']]

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