pattern matching - re.match with '-' not working in python -

i have following code

if(keys==14):     print (values)     result = re.match("(^\-)", str(values))     print "rr is", result, (values) 

but match not working sample line. here output got ­

­-bob rr none ­bob 

can't reproduce:

>>> x='-bob' >>> re.match('(^\-)', x) <_sre.sre_match object; span=(0, 1), match='-'> 

your values may different, presumably having non-printable characters in addition @ start. try printing repr of make sure that's not case...!

edit: , indeed repr reveals values start soft hyphen (encoded in utf-8) may display dash isn't dash. re matching encoded byte strings can inconvenient, let's first decode text:

>>> x = '\xc2\xadbob'  # or else `values` obtained such >>> y = x.decode('utf8') >>> re.match(ur'([\xad-])', y) <_sre.sre_match object @ 0x1004c0af8> 

(switched python 2 here why repr of match object differs above snippet, using python 3). on side note, i've dropped redundant caret in pattern (the ^ @ start) since match method always anchored @ start anyway.

the core ideas of course are: (a) use unicode work semantically actual text rather string of bytes; (b) use repr check glyphs there, rather may in context (since non-displaying glyphs , look-alike ones may otherwise fool you); , (c) [\xad-] part of (unicode) re pattern matches either soft hyphen ('\xad') or actual dash -- dash must come second, right before ], due re pattern syntax (otherwise indicate matching range of characters, while want match actual dash if that's present).