> > If this is a full-on language analysis problem, you really should be using
> > Prolog or Lisp anyway. If the problem really is as complex as you are
> > hinting at, you may not be using the right language, or even class of
> > language.
> >
> yes, but I wanted to try it with "my favorit" language first before
> doing something wild. It's a rails application so I'd have to call
> lisp/perl/.... programms, interfacing them (calling on each test would
> be a mess because reading somethousand lines every time is a performance
> killer.)
>
> Anyway, thanks for the replies I'll give a perl interface a try (due to
> some other reasons like robust html parsing ...).

there's got to be a better way to do this. I recently attempted to
implement a particle simulation algorithm for arranging nodes in a
graph in Rails, before I came to my senses.

solving this problem with regexes sounds like a nightmare on the
maintenance front. I think it's possible that you're using the wrong
language but more likely that you're just using the wrong technique.

-- 
Giles Bowkett
http://www.gilesgoatboy.org