Javascript : How to not confuse regex with BB code -

please note

i find several questions&answers end result came : dont use regex. posting question find solution problem. , maybe alternative regex. base on several similar question:

1. replace multiple strings @ once
2. replace() regexp on array elements
3. bb-code-regex in javascript

credit to: user2182349 sor resolving this. see answer below.

i'm trying replace bbcode. use function take answer still not working me.

i want replace things that:

var find = ["[b]", "[/b]", "[i]","[/i]","[u]","[/u]","[n]","[/n]","[c]","[/c]","[li]","[/li]"]; var rep  = ["<b>", "</b>", "<i>","</i>","<u>","</u>","<div class='editnote'>","</div>","<center>","</center>","<li>","</li>",]; 

the [n] tag gets replaced span. once work span or other tags. use simple tag right able work.

the function , few sample string have tested

// escaped  var fes = ["\[b\]", "\[/b\]","\[i\]", "\[/i\]"];  // without escape  var f = ["[b]", "[/b]","[i]", "[/i]"];  //replaced  var r  = ["<b>", "</b>","<i>", "</i>"];  // string  var string = "this [b]first[/b] 1 , here comes [b]second[/b] 1 , when text contain b bacon";    string.prototype.replacearray = function(find, replace) {    var replacestring = this;    var regex;     (var = 0; < find.length; i++) {      regex = new regexp(find[i], "g");      replacestring = replacestring.replace(regex, replace[i]);    }    return replacestring;  };    //ignore rest. snippet work//////////////////////////////////     $("#es").on("click",function (event) {     string = string.replacearray(fes,r)     $('#result').html(string);  });   $("#noes").on("click",function (event) {      string = string.replacearray(f,r)     $('#result').html(string);  });   $("#reset").on("click",function (event) {   string = "this [b]first[/b] 1 , here comes [b]second[/b] 1 , when text contain b bacon";     $('#result').html('');  });

span{  cursor:pointer  }  div{  height:100px;  width:300px;  border:1px solid #000;  }

<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.11.1/jquery.min.js"></script>  <span id="es">click here see result escape</span><br><br>  <span id="noes">click here see result without escape</span><br><br>  <span id="reset">reset here</span><br><br>  <div id="result"></div>

so problem seams coming way send bbcode regex replacing function. how should feed it?

a regex nice because can add tags without lot of code. if understand question correctly, want convert bbcodes html equivalents. 1 way done regex.

var s = "this [b]first[/b] 1 , here comes [b]second[/b] 1 , when text contain b bacon, , there [i]icicles[/i]";  var re = /\[(\/?[bi])\]/mg;  console.log (s.replace(re,'<$1>')); 

if willing allow bbcodes, may use this:

var re = /\[(\/?[^\]]+)\]/mg; 

this take [withsomecharacters] , turn <withsomecharacters>, including optional slash @ beginning.

a more complex implementation use array of objects. each object have 2 properties - in , out. in input, out output, , can loop through using string replace more complex tags. next piece of code regex.

var s = "this [n]editnote[/n] [b]first[/b] 1 , here comes [b]second[/b] 1 , when text contain b bacon, , there [i]icicles[/i] , [li]li[/li]";  var p,pairs = [ { "in": "[n]",     "out": '<div class="editnote">' },   { "in": "[/n]",     "out": '</div>' } ];  (p in pairs) {         s = s.replace(pairs[p]["in"],pairs[p]["out"]); } var re = /\[(\/?[^\]]+)\]/mg; console.log (s.replace(re,'<$1>'));