I made the patch that implements regexp_replace again.

The specification of this function is as follows.

regexp_replace(source text, pattern text, replacement text, [flags
text])
returns text

Replace string that matches to regular expression in source text to
replacement text.

 - pattern is regular expression pattern.
 - replacement is replace string that can use '\1'-'\9', and '\&'.
    '\1'-'\9': back reference to the n'th subexpression.
    '\&'     : entire matched string.
 - flags can use the following values:
    g: global (replace all)
    i: ignore case
    When the flags is not specified, case sensitive, replace the first
    instance only.

Atsushi Ogawa

doc/src/sgml/func.sgml

 <!--
-$PostgreSQL: pgsql/doc/src/sgml/func.sgml,v 1.263 2005/07/06 19:02:52 momjian Exp $
+$PostgreSQL: pgsql/doc/src/sgml/func.sgml,v 1.264 2005/07/10 04:54:30 momjian Exp $
 PostgreSQL documentation
 -->
 
@@ -1256,6 +1256,26 @@ PostgreSQL documentation
        <entry><literal>'O''Reilly'</literal></entry>
       </row>
 
+      <row>
+       <entry><literal><function>regexp_replace</function>(<parameter>source</parameter> <type>text</type>,
+       <parameter>pattern</parameter> <type>text</type>,
+       <parameter>replacement</parameter> <type>text</type>
+       <optional>, <parameter>flags</parameter> <type>text</type></optional>)</literal></entry>
+       <entry><type>text</type></entry>
+       <entry>Replace string that matches the regular expression
+        <parameter>pattern</parameter> in <parameter>source</parameter> to
+        <parameter>replacement</parameter>.
+        <parameter>replacement</parameter> can use <literal>\1</>-<literal>\9</> and <literal>\&amp;</>.
+        <literal>\1</>-<literal>\9</> is a back reference to the n'th subexpression, and
+        <literal>\&amp;</> is the entire matched string.
+        <parameter>flags</parameter> can use <literal>g</>(global) and <literal>i</>(ignore case).
+        When flags is not specified, case sensitive matching is used, and it replaces
+        only the instance.
+       </entry>
+       <entry><literal>regexp_replace('1112223333', '(\\d{3})(\\d{3})(\\d{4})', '(\\1) \\2-\\3')</literal></entry>
+       <entry><literal>(111) 222-3333</literal></entry>
+      </row>
+
       <row>
        <entry><literal><function>repeat</function>(<parameter>string</parameter> <type>text</type>, <parameter>number</parameter> <type>integer</type>)</literal></entry>
        <entry><type>text</type></entry>

src/backend/regex/regexec.c

@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
  * OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF
  * ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
  *
- * $PostgreSQL: pgsql/src/backend/regex/regexec.c,v 1.24 2003/11/29 19:51:55 pgsql Exp $
+ * $PostgreSQL: pgsql/src/backend/regex/regexec.c,v 1.25 2005/07/10 04:54:30 momjian Exp $
  *
  */
 
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ struct vars
 	regmatch_t *pmatch;
 	rm_detail_t *details;
 	chr		   *start;			/* start of string */
+	chr		   *search_start;	/* search start of string */
 	chr		   *stop;			/* just past end of string */
 	int			err;			/* error code if any (0 none) */
 	regoff_t   *mem;			/* memory vector for backtracking */
@@ -168,6 +169,7 @@ int
 pg_regexec(regex_t *re,
 		   const chr *string,
 		   size_t len,
+		   size_t search_start,
 		   rm_detail_t *details,
 		   size_t nmatch,
 		   regmatch_t pmatch[],
@@ -219,6 +221,7 @@ pg_regexec(regex_t *re,
 		v->pmatch = pmatch;
 	v->details = details;
 	v->start = (chr *) string;
+	v->search_start = (chr *) string + search_start;
 	v->stop = (chr *) string + len;
 	v->err = 0;
 	if (backref)
@@ -288,7 +291,8 @@ find(struct vars * v,
 	NOERR();
 	MDEBUG(("\nsearch at %ld\n", LOFF(v->start)));
 	cold = NULL;
-	close = shortest(v, s, v->start, v->start, v->stop, &cold, (int *) NULL);
+	close = shortest(v, s, v->search_start, v->search_start, v->stop,
+					 &cold, (int *) NULL);
 	freedfa(s);
 	NOERR();
 	if (v->g->cflags & REG_EXPECT)
@@ -415,7 +419,7 @@ cfindloop(struct vars * v,
 
 	assert(d != NULL && s != NULL);
 	cold = NULL;
-	close = v->start;
+	close = v->search_start;
 	do
 	{
 		MDEBUG(("\ncsearch at %ld\n", LOFF(close)));

src/backend/utils/adt/regexp.c

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
  *
  *
  * IDENTIFICATION
- *	  $PostgreSQL: pgsql/src/backend/utils/adt/regexp.c,v 1.56 2004/12/31 22:01:22 pgsql Exp $
+ *	  $PostgreSQL: pgsql/src/backend/utils/adt/regexp.c,v 1.57 2005/07/10 04:54:30 momjian Exp $
  *
  *		Alistair Crooks added the code for the regex caching
  *		agc - cached the regular expressions used - there's a good chance
@@ -81,38 +81,27 @@ static cached_re_str re_array[MAX_CACHED_RES];	/* cached re's */
 
 
 /*
- * RE_compile_and_execute - compile and execute a RE, caching if possible
+ * RE_compile_and_cache - compile a RE, caching if possible
  *
- * Returns TRUE on match, FALSE on no match
+ * Returns regex_t
  *
  *  text_re --- the pattern, expressed as an *untoasted* TEXT object
- *	dat --- the data to match against (need not be null-terminated)
- *	dat_len --- the length of the data string
  *  cflags --- compile options for the pattern
- *	nmatch, pmatch	--- optional return area for match details
  *
- * Both pattern and data are given in the database encoding.  We internally
- * convert to array of pg_wchar which is what Spencer's regex package wants.
+ * Pattern is given in the database encoding.  We internally convert to
+ * array of pg_wchar which is what Spencer's regex package wants.
  */
-static bool
-RE_compile_and_execute(text *text_re, unsigned char *dat, int dat_len,
-					   int cflags, int nmatch, regmatch_t *pmatch)
+static regex_t
+RE_compile_and_cache(text *text_re, int cflags)
 {
 	int			text_re_len = VARSIZE(text_re);
-	pg_wchar   *data;
-	size_t		data_len;
 	pg_wchar   *pattern;
 	size_t		pattern_len;
 	int			i;
 	int			regcomp_result;
-	int			regexec_result;
 	cached_re_str re_temp;
 	char		errMsg[100];
 
-	/* Convert data string to wide characters */
-	data = (pg_wchar *) palloc((dat_len + 1) * sizeof(pg_wchar));
-	data_len = pg_mb2wchar_with_len(dat, data, dat_len);
-
 	/*
 	 * Look for a match among previously compiled REs.	Since the data
 	 * structure is self-organizing with most-used entries at the front,
@@ -134,28 +123,7 @@ RE_compile_and_execute(text *text_re, unsigned char *dat, int dat_len,
 				re_array[0] = re_temp;
 			}
 
-			/* Perform RE match and return result */
-			regexec_result = pg_regexec(&re_array[0].cre_re,
-										data,
-										data_len,
-										NULL,	/* no details */
-										nmatch,
-										pmatch,
-										0);
-
-			pfree(data);
-
-			if (regexec_result != REG_OKAY && regexec_result != REG_NOMATCH)
-			{
-				/* re failed??? */
-				pg_regerror(regexec_result, &re_array[0].cre_re,
-							errMsg, sizeof(errMsg));
-				ereport(ERROR,
-						(errcode(ERRCODE_INVALID_REGULAR_EXPRESSION),
-						 errmsg("regular expression failed: %s", errMsg)));
-			}
-
-			return (regexec_result == REG_OKAY);
+			return re_array[0].cre_re;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -220,10 +188,45 @@ RE_compile_and_execute(text *text_re, unsigned char *dat, int dat_len,
 	re_array[0] = re_temp;
 	num_res++;
 
+	return re_array[0].cre_re;
+}
+
+/*
+ * RE_compile_and_execute - compile and execute a RE
+ *
+ * Returns TRUE on match, FALSE on no match
+ *
+ *	text_re --- the pattern, expressed as an *untoasted* TEXT object
+ *	dat --- the data to match against (need not be null-terminated)
+ *	dat_len --- the length of the data string
+ *	cflags --- compile options for the pattern
+ *	nmatch, pmatch	--- optional return area for match details
+ *
+ * Both pattern and data are given in the database encoding.  We internally
+ * convert to array of pg_wchar which is what Spencer's regex package wants.
+ */
+static bool
+RE_compile_and_execute(text *text_re, unsigned char *dat, int dat_len,
+					   int cflags, int nmatch, regmatch_t *pmatch)
+{
+	pg_wchar   *data;
+	size_t		data_len;
+	int			regexec_result;
+	regex_t		re;
+	char        errMsg[100];
+
+	/* Convert data string to wide characters */
+	data = (pg_wchar *) palloc((dat_len + 1) * sizeof(pg_wchar));
+	data_len = pg_mb2wchar_with_len(dat, data, dat_len);
+
+	/* Compile RE */
+	re = RE_compile_and_cache(text_re, cflags);
+
 	/* Perform RE match and return result */
 	regexec_result = pg_regexec(&re_array[0].cre_re,
 								data,
 								data_len,
+								0,
 								NULL,	/* no details */
 								nmatch,
 								pmatch,
@@ -428,15 +431,89 @@ textregexsubstr(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
 			eo = pmatch[0].rm_eo;
 		}
 
-		return (DirectFunctionCall3(text_substr,
+		return DirectFunctionCall3(text_substr,
 									PointerGetDatum(s),
 									Int32GetDatum(so + 1),
-									Int32GetDatum(eo - so)));
+									Int32GetDatum(eo - so));
 	}
 
 	PG_RETURN_NULL();
 }
 
+/*
+ * textregexreplace_noopt()
+ *      Return a replace string matched by a regular expression.
+ *		This function is a version that doesn't specify the option of
+ *		textregexreplace. This is case sensitive, replace the first
+ *		instance only.
+ */
+Datum
+textregexreplace_noopt(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
+{
+	text	   *s = PG_GETARG_TEXT_P(0);
+	text	   *p = PG_GETARG_TEXT_P(1);
+	text	   *r = PG_GETARG_TEXT_P(2);
+	regex_t		re;
+
+	re = RE_compile_and_cache(p, regex_flavor);
+
+	return DirectFunctionCall4(replace_text_regexp,
+								PointerGetDatum(s),
+								PointerGetDatum(&re),
+								PointerGetDatum(r),
+								BoolGetDatum(false));
+}
+
+/*
+ * textregexreplace()
+ *      Return a replace string matched by a regular expression.
+ */
+Datum
+textregexreplace(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
+{
+	text	   *s = PG_GETARG_TEXT_P(0);
+	text	   *p = PG_GETARG_TEXT_P(1);
+	text	   *r = PG_GETARG_TEXT_P(2);
+	text	   *opt = PG_GETARG_TEXT_P(3);
+	char	   *opt_p = VARDATA(opt);
+	int			opt_len = (VARSIZE(opt) - VARHDRSZ);
+	int			i;
+	bool		global = false;
+	bool		ignorecase = false;
+	regex_t		re;
+
+	/* parse options */
+	for (i = 0; i < opt_len; i++)
+	{
+		switch (opt_p[i])
+		{
+			case 'i':
+				ignorecase = true;
+				break;
+			case 'g':
+				global = true;
+				break;
+			default:
+				ereport(ERROR,
+					(errcode(ERRCODE_INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE),
+					 errmsg("invalid option of regexp_replace: %c",
+					 opt_p[i])));
+				break;
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (ignorecase)
+		re = RE_compile_and_cache(p, regex_flavor | REG_ICASE);
+	else
+		re = RE_compile_and_cache(p, regex_flavor);
+
+	return DirectFunctionCall4(replace_text_regexp,
+								PointerGetDatum(s),
+								PointerGetDatum(&re),
+								PointerGetDatum(r),
+								BoolGetDatum(global));
+}
+
 /* similar_escape()
  * Convert a SQL99 regexp pattern to POSIX style, so it can be used by
  * our regexp engine.

src/backend/utils/adt/varlena.c

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
  *
  *
  * IDENTIFICATION
- *	  $PostgreSQL: pgsql/src/backend/utils/adt/varlena.c,v 1.126 2005/07/07 04:36:08 momjian Exp $
+ *	  $PostgreSQL: pgsql/src/backend/utils/adt/varlena.c,v 1.127 2005/07/10 04:54:30 momjian Exp $
  *
  *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include "utils/builtins.h"
 #include "utils/lsyscache.h"
 #include "utils/pg_locale.h"
+#include "regex/regex.h"
 
 
 typedef struct varlena unknown;
@@ -1993,6 +1994,225 @@ replace_text(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
 	PG_RETURN_TEXT_P(ret_text);
 }
 
+/*
+ * check_replace_text_has_escape_char
+ * check whether replace_text has escape char. 
+ */
+static bool
+check_replace_text_has_escape_char(const text *replace_text)
+{
+	const char *p = VARDATA(replace_text);
+	const char *p_end = p + (VARSIZE(replace_text) - VARHDRSZ);
+
+	if (pg_database_encoding_max_length() == 1)
+	{
+		for (; p < p_end; p++)
+			if (*p == '\\') return true;
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		for (; p < p_end; p += pg_mblen(p))
+			if (*p == '\\') return true;
+	}
+
+	return false;
+}
+
+/*
+ * appendStringInfoRegexpSubstr
+ * append string by using back references of regexp.
+ */
+static void
+appendStringInfoRegexpSubstr(StringInfo str, text *replace_text,
+    regmatch_t *pmatch, text *src_text)
+{
+	const char *p = VARDATA(replace_text);
+	const char *p_end = p + (VARSIZE(replace_text) - VARHDRSZ);
+
+	int			eml = pg_database_encoding_max_length();
+
+	int			substr_start = 1;
+	int			ch_cnt;
+
+	int			so;
+	int			eo;
+
+	while (1)
+	{
+		/* Find escape char. */
+		ch_cnt = 0;
+		if (eml == 1)
+		{
+			for (; p < p_end && *p != '\\'; p++)
+				ch_cnt++;
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			for (; p < p_end && *p != '\\'; p += pg_mblen(p))
+				ch_cnt++;
+		}
+
+		/*
+		 * Copy the text when there is a text in the left of escape char
+		 * or escape char is not found.
+		 */
+		if (ch_cnt)
+		{
+			text *append_text = text_substring(PointerGetDatum(replace_text),
+									  substr_start, ch_cnt, false);
+			appendStringInfoString(str, PG_TEXT_GET_STR(append_text));
+			pfree(append_text);
+		}
+		substr_start += ch_cnt + 1;
+
+		if (p >= p_end) /* When escape char is not found. */
+			break;
+
+		/* See the next character of escape char. */
+		p++;
+		so = eo = -1;
+
+		if (*p >= '1' && *p <= '9')
+		{
+			/* Use the back reference of regexp. */
+			int		idx = *p - '0';
+			so = pmatch[idx].rm_so;
+			eo = pmatch[idx].rm_eo;
+			p++;
+			substr_start++;
+		}
+		else if (*p == '&')
+		{
+			/* Use the entire matched string. */
+			so = pmatch[0].rm_so;
+			eo = pmatch[0].rm_eo;
+			p++;
+			substr_start++;
+		}
+
+		if (so != -1 && eo != -1)
+		{
+			/* Copy the text that is back reference of regexp. */
+			text *append_text = text_substring(PointerGetDatum(src_text),
+									  so + 1, (eo - so), false);
+			appendStringInfoString(str, PG_TEXT_GET_STR(append_text));
+			pfree(append_text);
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+#define REGEXP_REPLACE_BACKREF_CNT		10
+
+/*
+ * replace_text_regexp
+ * replace text that matches to regexp in src_text to replace_text.
+ */
+Datum
+replace_text_regexp(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
+{
+	text	   *ret_text;
+	text	   *src_text = PG_GETARG_TEXT_P(0);
+	int			src_text_len = VARSIZE(src_text) - VARHDRSZ;
+	regex_t	   *re = (regex_t *)PG_GETARG_POINTER(1);
+	text	   *replace_text = PG_GETARG_TEXT_P(2);
+	bool		global = PG_GETARG_BOOL(3);
+	StringInfo	str = makeStringInfo();
+	int			regexec_result;
+	regmatch_t	pmatch[REGEXP_REPLACE_BACKREF_CNT];
+	pg_wchar   *data;
+	size_t		data_len;
+	int			search_start;
+	int			data_pos;
+	bool		have_escape;
+
+	/* Convert data string to wide characters. */
+	data = (pg_wchar *) palloc((src_text_len + 1) * sizeof(pg_wchar));
+	data_len = pg_mb2wchar_with_len(VARDATA(src_text), data, src_text_len);
+
+	/* Check whether replace_text has escape char. */
+	have_escape = check_replace_text_has_escape_char(replace_text);
+
+	for (search_start = data_pos = 0; search_start <= data_len;)
+	{
+		regexec_result = pg_regexec(re,
+									data,
+									data_len,
+									search_start,
+									NULL,   /* no details */
+									REGEXP_REPLACE_BACKREF_CNT,
+									pmatch,
+									0);
+
+		if (regexec_result != REG_OKAY && regexec_result != REG_NOMATCH)
+		{
+			char	errMsg[100];
+
+			/* re failed??? */
+			pg_regerror(regexec_result, re, errMsg, sizeof(errMsg));
+			ereport(ERROR,
+				(errcode(ERRCODE_INVALID_REGULAR_EXPRESSION),
+				 errmsg("regular expression failed: %s", errMsg)));
+		}
+
+		if (regexec_result == REG_NOMATCH)
+			break;
+
+        /*
+         * Copy the text when there is a text in the left of matched position.
+         */
+		if (pmatch[0].rm_so - data_pos > 0)
+		{
+			text *left_text = text_substring(PointerGetDatum(src_text),
+									   data_pos + 1,
+									   pmatch[0].rm_so - data_pos, false);
+			appendStringInfoString(str, PG_TEXT_GET_STR(left_text));
+			pfree(left_text);
+		}
+
+		/*
+		 * Copy the replace_text. Process back references when the
+		 * replace_text has escape characters. 
+		 */
+		if (have_escape)
+			appendStringInfoRegexpSubstr(str, replace_text, pmatch, src_text);
+		else
+			appendStringInfoString(str, PG_TEXT_GET_STR(replace_text));
+
+		search_start = data_pos = pmatch[0].rm_eo;
+
+		/*
+		 * When global option is off, replace the first instance only.
+		 */
+		if (!global)
+			break;
+
+		/*
+		 * Search from next character when the matching text is zero width.
+		 */
+		if (pmatch[0].rm_so == pmatch[0].rm_eo)
+			search_start++;
+	}
+
+	/*
+     * Copy the text when there is a text at the right of last matched
+	 * or regexp is not matched.
+	 */
+	if (data_pos < data_len)
+	{
+		text *right_text = text_substring(PointerGetDatum(src_text),
+								   data_pos + 1, -1, true);
+		appendStringInfoString(str, PG_TEXT_GET_STR(right_text));
+		pfree(right_text);
+	}
+
+	ret_text = PG_STR_GET_TEXT(str->data);
+	pfree(str->data);
+	pfree(str);
+	pfree(data);
+
+	PG_RETURN_TEXT_P(ret_text);
+}
+
 /*
  * split_text
  * parse input string

src/include/catalog/catversion.h

@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
  * Portions Copyright (c) 1996-2005, PostgreSQL Global Development Group
  * Portions Copyright (c) 1994, Regents of the University of California
  *
- * $PostgreSQL: pgsql/src/include/catalog/catversion.h,v 1.286 2005/07/08 04:12:26 neilc Exp $
+ * $PostgreSQL: pgsql/src/include/catalog/catversion.h,v 1.287 2005/07/10 04:54:31 momjian Exp $
  *
  *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
@@ -53,6 +53,6 @@
  */
 
 /*							yyyymmddN */
-#define CATALOG_VERSION_NO	200507081
+#define CATALOG_VERSION_NO	200507101
 
 #endif

src/include/catalog/pg_proc.h

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
  * Portions Copyright (c) 1996-2005, PostgreSQL Global Development Group
  * Portions Copyright (c) 1994, Regents of the University of California
  *
- * $PostgreSQL: pgsql/src/include/catalog/pg_proc.h,v 1.374 2005/07/06 19:02:53 momjian Exp $
+ * $PostgreSQL: pgsql/src/include/catalog/pg_proc.h,v 1.375 2005/07/10 04:54:31 momjian Exp $
  *
  * NOTES
  *	  The script catalog/genbki.sh reads this file and generates .bki
@@ -2207,6 +2207,10 @@ DATA(insert OID =  937 (  substring    PGNSP PGUID 12 f f t f i 2 25 "25 23" _nu
 DESCR("return portion of string");
 DATA(insert OID =  2087 ( replace	   PGNSP PGUID 12 f f t f i 3 25 "25 25 25" _null_ _null_ _null_	replace_text - _null_ ));
 DESCR("replace all occurrences of old_substr with new_substr in string");
+DATA(insert OID =  2284 ( regexp_replace	   PGNSP PGUID 12 f f t f i 3 25 "25 25 25" _null_ _null_ _null_	textregexreplace_noopt - _null_ ));
+DESCR("replace text using regexp");
+DATA(insert OID =  2285 ( regexp_replace	   PGNSP PGUID 12 f f t f i 4 25 "25 25 25 25" _null_ _null_ _null_	textregexreplace - _null_ ));
+DESCR("replace text using regexp");
 DATA(insert OID =  2088 ( split_part   PGNSP PGUID 12 f f t f i 3 25 "25 25 23" _null_ _null_ _null_	split_text - _null_ ));
 DESCR("split string by field_sep and return field_num");
 DATA(insert OID =  2089 ( to_hex	   PGNSP PGUID 12 f f t f i 1 25 "23" _null_ _null_ _null_  to_hex32 - _null_ ));

src/include/regex/regex.h

@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
  * OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF
  * ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
  *
- * $PostgreSQL: pgsql/src/include/regex/regex.h,v 1.26 2003/11/29 22:41:10 pgsql Exp $
+ * $PostgreSQL: pgsql/src/include/regex/regex.h,v 1.27 2005/07/10 04:54:32 momjian Exp $
  */
 
 /*
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ typedef struct
  * the prototypes for exported functions
  */
 extern int	pg_regcomp(regex_t *, const pg_wchar *, size_t, int);
-extern int	pg_regexec(regex_t *, const pg_wchar *, size_t, rm_detail_t *, size_t, regmatch_t[], int);
+extern int	pg_regexec(regex_t *, const pg_wchar *, size_t, size_t, rm_detail_t *, size_t, regmatch_t[], int);
 extern void pg_regfree(regex_t *);
 extern size_t pg_regerror(int, const regex_t *, char *, size_t);
 

src/include/utils/builtins.h

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
  * Portions Copyright (c) 1996-2005, PostgreSQL Global Development Group
  * Portions Copyright (c) 1994, Regents of the University of California
  *
- * $PostgreSQL: pgsql/src/include/utils/builtins.h,v 1.259 2005/07/06 19:02:54 momjian Exp $
+ * $PostgreSQL: pgsql/src/include/utils/builtins.h,v 1.260 2005/07/10 04:54:32 momjian Exp $
  *
  *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
@@ -429,6 +429,8 @@ extern Datum nameicregexne(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS);
 extern Datum texticregexeq(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS);
 extern Datum texticregexne(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS);
 extern Datum textregexsubstr(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS);
+extern Datum textregexreplace_noopt(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS);
+extern Datum textregexreplace(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS);
 extern Datum similar_escape(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS);
 
 /* regproc.c */
@@ -566,6 +568,7 @@ extern List *textToQualifiedNameList(text *textval);
 extern bool SplitIdentifierString(char *rawstring, char separator,
 					  List **namelist);
 extern Datum replace_text(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS);
+extern Datum replace_text_regexp(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS);
 extern Datum split_text(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS);
 extern Datum text_to_array(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS);
 extern Datum array_to_text(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS);

src/test/regress/expected/strings.out

@@ -192,6 +192,34 @@ SELECT SUBSTRING('abcdefg' FROM 'b(.*)f') AS "cde";
  cde
 (1 row)
 
+-- PostgreSQL extension to allow using back reference in replace string;
+SELECT regexp_replace('1112223333', '(\\d{3})(\\d{3})(\\d{4})', '(\\1) \\2-\\3');
+ regexp_replace 
+----------------
+ (111) 222-3333
+(1 row)
+
+SELECT regexp_replace('AAA   BBB   CCC   ', '\\s+', ' ', 'g');
+ regexp_replace 
+----------------
+ AAA BBB CCC 
+(1 row)
+
+SELECT regexp_replace('AAA', '^|$', 'Z', 'g');
+ regexp_replace 
+----------------
+ ZAAAZ
+(1 row)
+
+SELECT regexp_replace('AAA aaa', 'A+', 'Z', 'gi');
+ regexp_replace 
+----------------
+ Z Z
+(1 row)
+
+-- invalid option of REGEXP_REPLACE
+SELECT regexp_replace('AAA aaa', 'A+', 'Z', 'z');
+ERROR:  invalid option of regexp_replace: z
 -- E021-11 position expression
 SELECT POSITION('4' IN '1234567890') = '4' AS "4";
  4 

src/test/regress/sql/strings.sql

@@ -80,6 +80,13 @@ SELECT SUBSTRING('abcdefg' FROM 'c.e') AS "cde";
 -- With a parenthesized subexpression, return only what matches the subexpr
 SELECT SUBSTRING('abcdefg' FROM 'b(.*)f') AS "cde";
 
+-- PostgreSQL extension to allow using back reference in replace string;
+SELECT regexp_replace('1112223333', '(\\d{3})(\\d{3})(\\d{4})', '(\\1) \\2-\\3');
+SELECT regexp_replace('AAA   BBB   CCC   ', '\\s+', ' ', 'g');
+SELECT regexp_replace('AAA', '^|$', 'Z', 'g');
+SELECT regexp_replace('AAA aaa', 'A+', 'Z', 'gi');
+-- invalid option of REGEXP_REPLACE
+SELECT regexp_replace('AAA aaa', 'A+', 'Z', 'z');
 
 -- E021-11 position expression
 SELECT POSITION('4' IN '1234567890') = '4' AS "4";