This promise refers to arbitrary text patterns in a file. The pattern is expressed as a PCRE regular expression.

```cf3 replace_patterns:

    "search pattern"
 
       replace_with => replace_body,
       ...; ```

In replace_patterns promises, the regular expression may match a line fragment, that is, it is [unanchored][unanchored].

```cf3 bundle edit_line upgrade_cfexecd { replace_patterns:

    "cfexecd" replace_with => value("cf-execd");
}

body replace_with value(x)  # defined in cfengine_stdlib.cf
{
replace_value => "$(x)";
occurrences => "all";
} ```

This is a straightforward search and replace function. Only the portion of the line that matches the pattern in the promise will be replaced; the remainder of the line will not be affected. You can also use PCRE look-behind and look-ahead patterns to restrict the lines upon which the pattern will match.

Attributes

replace_with

Type: body replace_with

occurrences

Description: Defines which occurrences should be replaced.

Using “first” is generally unwise, as it will change a different matching string each time the promise is executed, and may not “catch up” with whatever external action is altering the text the promise applies to.

Type: (menu option)

Allowed input range:

• all

Replace all occurrence.

• first

Replace only the first occurrence. Note: this is non-convergent.

Default value: all

Example:

cf3 body replace_with example { occurrences => "first"; # Warning! Using "first" is non-convergent }

replace_value

Description: Value used to replace regular expression matches in search

Type: string

Allowed input range: .*

Example:

cf3 body replace_with example(s) { replace_value => "$(s)"; }