<?php $m = array(); $to = 'something'; $routes[] = "<route name='something' x='../au_A8asdfE8/in' rec='20070101' />"; $routes[] = "<route name='something' x='../u_A8SD9FE8/in' rec='20070102' />"; $routes[] = "<route name='something' x='../au_A8SD9Fa4/in' rec='20070103' />"; $routes[] = "<route name='something' x='../u_a3459FE8/in' rec='20070104' />"; $routes[] = "<route name='something' x='../au_23452542/in' rec='20070105' />"; foreach( $routes AS $get_route ) { if ( ereg("<route name='$to' x='\.\./([^/]+)/in' rec='.*' />", $get_route, $m) ) { var_dump($m); } } ?> for the source, look at './ereg.phps'