How to replace a string with more strings in another string?

Question

I have this code:

<body>
    <label id="Label1052">The loop is below</label>
    <img id="Image733" src="logo-2.png">
    <!--the loop--><div id="theLoop">
        <label id="Label736">{title}</label>
        <label id="Label737">{date}</label>
        <label id="Label739">{content}</label>
    </div><!--the loop-->
</body>

Expected output:

<body>
    <label id="Label1052">The loop is below</label>
    <img id="Image733" src="logo-2.png">
    <!--the loop--><div id="theLoop">
        <label id="Label736">Post 1</label>
        <label id="Label737">Jan 1</label>
        <label id="Label739">The content</label>
    </div>
    <div id="theLoop">
        <label id="Label736">Post 2</label>
        <label id="Label737">Jan 5</label>
        <label id="Label739">The content</label>
    </div>
    <div id="theLoop">
        <label id="Label736">Post 3</label>
        <label id="Label737">Jan 6</label>
        <label id="Label739">The content</label>
    </div><!--the loop-->
</body>

Here is my PHP:

// contains the content above
$markup = "<body>...</body>";

// find the loop and get the contents that has tokens
$match = preg_match("<!--the loop-->(.*)<!--the loop-->");

for (var i;i<itemCount;i++) {
    $item = items[i];
    // start to replace content - there are many tokens - I have a function
    $newContent = replaceTokensInContent($item, $match);
    $myArray.push($newContent);
}

$newContent = $myArray.join();

// put the content back into the markup 
$updated_markup = preg_replace("<!--the loop-->(.*)<!--the loop-->", $newContent, $markup);

I want to get the contents between both tokens  and then replace tokens in that multiple times (I have a function) and then put that populated string back into the main string again.

I know how to do this regex in JavaScript but not PHP.

And what is your possible expected output. Regex is not perfect tool to work along with HTML — Narendrasingh Sisodia
– Narendrasingh Sisodia, Commented Oct 26, 2015 at 6:14
@Uchiha from the leaf clan and Sashant, I just updated the question. I'll add my expected output. — 1.21 gigawatts
– 1.21 gigawatts, Commented Oct 26, 2015 at 6:16
preg_match($needle, $haystack), preg_replace($pattern, $replacement, $haystack). Now check your usages... — Justinas
– Justinas, Commented Oct 26, 2015 at 6:18

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 11:58:26Z

1

While you were looking for a way with regular expressions, you might as well consider using a DomDocument approach as marked in the comments.

$doc = new DOMDocument();
$doc->loadHTMLFile(...);

$xpath = new DOMXpath($doc);
$loop = $xpath->query("//*[@id='theLoop']")->item(0);

Having the $loop, you can now insert, delete or replace nodes. Have a look at this explanation as a starting point.

edited May 23, 2017 at 11:58

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answered Oct 26, 2015 at 6:54

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