php preg_replace function

[eluser]sophistry[/eluser]
did you assess the php manual page for the preg_replace() function and find it lacking?

let me give it a try re-writing the manual: the $1 refers to the item captured in the first parenthesized expression. when it is placed in the replacement string it will be replaced by whatever is captured in the pattern string.

so, in this case, you have no parentheses in your regular expression so there is no $1 substitution! that's why you "see" the empty string.

try putting parentheses around the .* (dot-star) regex and see what happens.

how did i do? was that clearer than the manual page? :-)