# HG changeset patch
# User Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
# Date 1016703442 0
# Node ID 32211007711cbc7491a0f649a721d5db03204a76
# Parent  f816ded285dd71a623ab06364c2570ad5fc8ff31
Clarify non-greedy repetition in searching.

diff -r f816ded285dd -r 32211007711c man/search.texi
--- a/man/search.texi	Thu Mar 21 09:35:35 2002 +0000
+++ b/man/search.texi	Thu Mar 21 09:37:22 2002 +0000
@@ -463,6 +463,13 @@
 match), while @samp{ab*?}  will match just @samp{a} (the shortest
 valid match).
 
+Non-greedy operators match the shortest possible string starting at a
+given starting point; in a forward search, though, the earliest
+possible starting point for match is always the one chosen.  Thus, if
+you search for @samp{a.*?$} against the text @samp{abbab} followed by
+a newline, it matches the whole string.  Since it @emph{can} match
+starting at the first @samp{a}, it does.
+
 @item \@{@var{n}\@}
 is a postfix operator that specifies repetition @var{n} times---that
 is, the preceding regular expression must match exactly @var{n} times