I'm a bit confused by this behaviour, and am unsure whether it needs to be better documented, or perhaps is a bug.

int main() { object buf = Stdio.Buffer("#44"); write("Matches: %O %O\n", buf->sscanf("#%2[4]"), (string)buf); buf = Stdio.Buffer("#4"); write("Doesn't: %O %O\n", buf->sscanf("#%2[4]"), (string)buf); buf = Stdio.Buffer("#44"); write("Matches: %O %O\n", buf->match("#%2[4]"), (string)buf); buf = Stdio.Buffer("#4"); write("Doesn't: %O %O\n", buf->match("#%2[4]"), (string)buf); }

When using sscanf, the successful match returns ({"44"}) and leaves the buffer empty, and the unsuccessful match returns an empty array and leaves the "4" in the buffer. This makes sense; the hash was matched and consumed, but the 2-character requirement meant that nothing was matched.

Using match instead produces a somewhat odd result though. If there's enough text in the buffer, it returns "44" and leaves the buffer empty; this corresponds to sscanf's behaviour. In the other case, though, it returns "#%2[4]" (the pattern), and leaves "4" in the buffer. Is this intentional?

(If the first character of the buffer isn't a hash, both return 0 and leave the buffer unchanged. This behaviour is also correct. It's only the partial match that seems curious.)

ChrisA