> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://cortex-docs.paloaltonetworks.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://cortex-docs.paloaltonetworks.com/cortex-xdr-3.x/cortex-xdr-3.x-documentation/cortex-xdr-xql/functions/regextract.md).

# regextract

**Syntax**

```programlisting
regextract (<string_value>, <pattern>)
```

**Description**

The `regextract()` function accepts a string and a regular expression, and it returns an array containing substrings that match the expression.

Cortex Query Language (XQL) uses [RE2](https://github.com/google/re2/wiki/Syntax) for its regular expression implementation. While capturing multiple groups is unsupported, capturing one group in queries is supported.

When using the `(?i)` syntax for case-insensitive mode in your query, this syntax should be added only once at the  beginning of the inline regular expression.

{% hint style="info" %}

### Note

Capturing multiple groups is supported in Parsing Rules when using the [regexcapture](/cortex-xdr-3.x/cortex-xdr-3.x-documentation/cortex-xdr-xql/functions/regexcapture.md) function.
{% endhint %}

**Examples**

<details>

<summary>Without a capturing group</summary>

Extract the `Account Name` from the `action_evtlog_message`. Use the [arrayindex](/cortex-xdr-3.x/cortex-xdr-3.x-documentation/cortex-xdr-xql/functions/arrayindex.md) and [split](/cortex-xdr-3.x/cortex-xdr-3.x-documentation/cortex-xdr-xql/functions/split.md) functions to extract the actual account name from the array created by `regextract`.

```programlisting
dataset = xdr_data 
| fields action_evtlog_message as aem 
| filter aem != null 
| alter account_name = 
    arrayindex(
        split(
            arrayindex(
                regextract(aem, "Account Name:\t\t.*\r\n")
            ,0)
        , ":")
    ,1) 
| filter account_name != null 
| limit 10 
```

</details>

<details>

<summary>Using one capturing group</summary>

Extract from the `log_example` field all of the values included for the id objects.

```programlisting
dataset = xdr_data 
| limit 1
| alter
    log_example = "{\"events\":[{\"id\": \"1\", \"type\": \"process\", \"size\": 123, \"processID\": 40540},{\"id\": \"2\", \"type\": \"request\", \"size\": 456, \"srcOS\": \"MAC\"}],\"host\": \"LocalHost\",\"date\": {\"day\": 4, \"month\": 7, \"year\": 2024},\"tags\":[\"agent\", \"auth\", \"low\"]}"
| alter 
    one_capture_group_usage = regextract(log_example, "\"id\":\s*\"([^\"]+)\"")
| fields log_example, one_capture_group_usage
```

</details>


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