Python extract pattern matches

Question

Python 2.7.1 I am trying to use python regular expression to extract words inside of a pattern

I have some string that looks like this

someline abc
s         


        

Answer 1

You can also use a capture group (?Ppattern) and access the group like a dictionary match['user'].

string = '''someline abc\n
            someother line\n
            name my_user_name is valid\n
            some more lines\n'''

pattern = r'name (?P.*) is valid'
matches = re.search(pattern, str(string), re.DOTALL)
print(matches['user'])

# my_user_name