Regex to match top level delimiters in a multi dimensional string

Question

I have a file that is structured in a large multidimensional structure, similar to json, but not close enough for me to use a json library.

The data looks something

Answer 1

Sure you can do this with regular expressions.

preg_match_all(
    '/([^\s]+)\s*{((?:[^{}]*|(?R))*)}/',
    $yourStuff,
    $matches,
    PREG_SET_ORDER
);

This gives me the following in matches:

[1]=>
string(5) "alpha"
[2]=>
string(46) "
beta {
    charlie;
}
delta;
"

and

[1]=>
string(7) "foxtrot"
[2]=>
string(22) "
golf;
hotel;
"

Breaking it down a little bit.

([^\s]+)                # non-whitespace (block name)
\s*                     # whitespace (between name and block)
{                       # literal brace
    (                   # begin capture
        (?:             # don't create another capture set
            [^{}]*      # everything not a brace
            |(?R)       # OR recurse
        )*              # none or more times
    )                   # end capture
}                       # literal brace

Just for your information, this works fine on n-deep levels of braces.