' This code example demonstrates using the balancing group definition feature of 
' regular expressions to match balanced left angle bracket (<) and right angle 
' bracket (>) characters in a string. 

Imports System
Imports System.Text.RegularExpressions

Class Sample
    Public Shared Sub Main() 
'
'    The following expression matches all balanced left and right angle brackets(<>). 
'    The expression:
'    1)   Matches and discards zero or more non-angle bracket characters.
'    2)   Matches zero or more of:
'    2a)  One or more of:
'    2a1) A group named "Open" that matches a left angle bracket, followed by zero 
'         or more non-angle bracket characters. 
'         "Open" essentially counts the number of left angle brackets.
'    2b) One or more of:
'    2b1) A balancing group named "Close" that matches a right angle bracket, 
'         followed by zero or more non-angle bracket characters. 
'         "Close" essentially counts the number of right angle brackets.
'    3)   If the "Open" group contains an unaccounted for left angle bracket, the 
'        entire regular expression fails.
'
        Dim pattern As String = "^[^<>]*" & _
                                "(" + "((?'Open'<)[^<>]*)+" & _
                                "((?'Close-Open'>)[^<>]*)+" + ")*" & _
                                "(?(Open)(?!))$"
        Dim input As String = "<abc><mno<xyz>>"
'
        Dim m As Match = Regex.Match(input, pattern)
        If m.Success = True Then
            Console.WriteLine("Input: ""{0}"" " & vbCrLf & "Match: ""{1}""", _
                               input, m)
        Else
            Console.WriteLine("Match failed.")
        End If
    End Sub 'Main
End Class 'Sample 

'This code example produces the following results:
'
'Input: "<abc><mno<xyz>>"
'Match: "<abc><mno<xyz>>"
'

// This code example demonstrates using the balancing group definition feature of 
// regular expressions to match balanced left angle bracket (<) and right angle 
// bracket (>) characters in a string. 

using System;
using System.Text.RegularExpressions;

class Sample 
{
    public static void Main() 
    {
/*
    The following expression matches all balanced left and right angle brackets(<>). 
    The expression:
    1)   Matches and discards zero or more non-angle bracket characters.
    2)   Matches zero or more of:
    2a)  One or more of:
    2a1) A group named "Open" that matches a left angle bracket, followed by zero 
         or more non-angle bracket characters. 
         "Open" essentially counts the number of left angle brackets.
    2b) One or more of:
    2b1) A balancing group named "Close" that matches a right angle bracket, 
         followed by zero or more non-angle bracket characters. 
         "Close" essentially counts the number of right angle brackets.
    3)   If the "Open" group contains an unaccounted for left angle bracket, the 
        entire regular expression fails.
*/
    string pattern = "^[^<>]*" +
                     "(" + 
                       "((?'Open'<)[^<>]*)+" +
                       "((?'Close-Open'>)[^<>]*)+" +
                     ")*" +
                     "(?(Open)(?!))$";
    string input = "<abc><mno<xyz>>";
//
    Match m = Regex.Match(input, pattern);
    if (m.Success == true)
        Console.WriteLine("Input: \"{0}\" \nMatch: \"{1}\"", input, m);
    else
        Console.WriteLine("Match failed.");
    }
}

/*
This code example produces the following results:

Input: "<abc><mno<xyz>>"
Match: "<abc><mno<xyz>>"

*/