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Is there a pattern that can match repeated elements that appear more than twice in a row?

For the sake of example let's say I want to use pattern matching to delete subsequent duplicate:

l = {1,2,2,3,4};

l/.{b___,x_,x_,r___}->{b,r}

(*{1,3,4}*)

But

l = {1,2,2,2,3,4};

l/.{b___,x_,x_,r___}->{b,r}

(*{1,2,3,4}*)

I can try to use Repeated, but it doesn't seem to work:

l = {1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 4};

l /. {b___, x_, (x_) .., r___} -> {b, r}

(*{1,2,3,4}*)

Am I using it wrong?

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6 Answers 6

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Use the Longest pattern command to find the longest repeated sequence that matches the pattern.

l = {1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 4};

l /. {b___, x_, Longest[(x_) ..], r___} :> {b, r}

(*{1, 3, 4}*)
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  • $\begingroup$ That's helpful. However, when I try it on l={1,1,1,2} the result is {1,1,2}, and not {2} as I would expect. $\endgroup$
    – Whelp
    Feb 4, 2021 at 14:59
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    $\begingroup$ l={1,1,1,2} returns {2} when I test it. Are you sure that both the b and r have three blanks? $\endgroup$
    – TimRias
    Feb 4, 2021 at 15:02
  • $\begingroup$ My bad, I had missed the "repeated" on the Longest pattern. It does work! $\endgroup$
    – Whelp
    Feb 4, 2021 at 15:18
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Another possibility is to use SequenceReplace:

SequenceReplace[{1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 4}, {x_, x_ ..} -> Sequence[]]

{1, 3, 4}

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Try the following:

l = {1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 4};
l /. {b___, x_, (x_) .., r___} -> {{b}, {r}}
(* {{1}, {2, 3, 4}} *)

and you see that that r is ill-defined. Therefore we must restrict r:

l //. {b___, Repeated[x_, {2, 10}], Shortest@r___} :> {b, r}
(*{1, 3, 4}*)
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  • $\begingroup$ Very nice debugging trick. I have already given the tick mark, but this would deserve one as well. $\endgroup$
    – Whelp
    Feb 4, 2021 at 15:27
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You might also consider using the two-argument form of Repeated for finer control:

{1, 2, 2, 3, 4}  /. {a___, Repeated[x_, {2, ∞}], b___} :> {a, b}
{1, 3, 4}
SequenceReplace[{1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 4}, {Repeated[x_, {2, ∞}]} -> Sequence[]]
{1, 3, 4}
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Not pattern matching, but one other way:

Cases[Split@l2, {x_}:>x]

{1, 3, 4}

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Cases[{a_, 1} :> a] @ Tally @ list

{1, 3, 4}

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