SPAN

    Creates a pattern matching the longest string containing only
    characters from the specified string, range, or buffer.

 Syntax

    pattern := SPAN ({string | range | buffer})

 Comments

    SPAN matches one or more characters, each of which must appear in the
    string, range, or buffer passed as the parameter.  SPAN matches as many
    characters as possible, stopping only if it finds a character not
    present in the string, range, or buffer, or if it reaches the end of a
    line.  SPAN does not cross line boundaries.  To match a pattern that
    may cross one or more line boundaries, use SPANL.

 Example

    pat1 := SPAN ("1234567890");

    Creates a pattern matching any sequence of numbers and any number of
    contiguous digits on one line.

 Related Topics

    SCAN    SCANL    SPANL