Hi, Philip!
> I decided not to compromise the
> normal (non-partial) matching by putting in these extra tests. Additional tests for PCRE_PARTIAL flag before applying {4,6}-like optimization takes negligible time in non-PARTIAL mode (IMHO).
But it releases needs for grouping (restricted patterns) and so saves some more time in PARTIAL mode, and keeps same (non-restricted) syntax (IMHO).
> As character matching is the main function of PCRE "Character matching" in fixed length subject strings, you mean?
There is another significant scope of application for character matching - streamed data. When length of string is unknown or data is true endless (and to this class we may reckon a strings with very long fixed length, that nedeed to be disparted for efficiency purposes). And that's will be great, if PCRE can give equal possibilities (including unified non-restricted syntax) for processing either fixed length or streamed data.
> I have added your request to my "Wish List" for PCRE Thanx.
