# \[AS3\] using regular expressions for parsing strings

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/as3-using-regular-expressions-for-parsing-strings/216656>\
**Category:** flash\
**Created:** [February 19, 2007, 1:39pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/as3-using-regular-expressions-for-parsing-strings/216656 "2007-02-19T13:39:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![superjohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc29f/32.png) [@superjohn](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/superjohn)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2007, 1:39pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/as3-using-regular-expressions-for-parsing-strings/216656/1 "2007-02-19T13:39:46Z")

</div>

Hi there, i am experimenting with parsing textfiles into different formats, and found the [regular expressions](http://livedocs.adobe.com/flex/2/langref/RegExp.html)in AS3 which should do the job. The problem is, i dont understand how it works… :puzzled: Could anyone help me on this? The examples below are just to show the sort of function i am looking for (to start with).

```auto
<P ALIGN="LEFT"><FONT FACE="Arial" >this is a test</FONT></P>

```

```auto
[f1=arial][left][LEFT][F1]this is a test[/f][/left][/LEFT]

```