I need to surround each occurrence of a string within a line with
begin and end tags, i.e.  "the place the fox went is the chickencoop"
with keyword "the" needs to become "<begin>the<end> place
<begin>the<end> fox went is <begin>the<end> chickencoop".

Here's what I tried:

#!/usr/bin/perl -p
while (/the/g) {
  $_ = $` . "<begin>" . $& . "<end>" . $';

-ts-
--

Oracle Corporation, Box 659412, Redwood Shores, CA, 94065   =What .sig virus?=

Blessed (and few :-) are they who spell occurrence right. :-)

:begin and end tags, i.e.  "the place the fox went is the chickencoop"
:with keyword "the" needs to become "<begin>the<end> place
:<begin>the<end> fox went is <begin>the<end> chickencoop".
:
:Here's what I tried:
:
:#!/usr/bin/perl -p
:while (/the/g) {
:  $_ = $` . "<begin>" . $& . "<end>" . $';
:}
:
:but this fails unpredictably, probably because //g doesn't like the
:fact that $_ is changing on it.  Any insight into how //g works
:internally, or a better way to accomplish this in general would be
:much appreciated.  Thanks!

I think it would be better to put the /g on an s/// expr in this case:

    perl -pe 's/\bthe\b/<begin>the<end>/g'

--tom

--

    If you consistently take an antagonistic approach, however, people are
    going to start thinking you're from New York.   :-)

s/the/<begin>the<end>/g;

--
Perl's Maternal Uncle
Mark Biggar