diff --git a/applications/test/regex/Make/files b/applications/test/regex/Make/files
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..901da54f0744fcd30dc7985f398d8831fb6e750f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/applications/test/regex/Make/files
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+regexTest.C
+
+EXE = $(FOAM_USER_APPBIN)/regexTest
diff --git a/applications/test/regex/Make/options b/applications/test/regex/Make/options
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..0eb7b642835fcec4c4b72727cdc17c7e7825fe70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/applications/test/regex/Make/options
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+EXE_LIBS = \
+ $(FOAM_LIBBIN)/libOSspecific.o
+
diff --git a/applications/test/regex/regexTest.C b/applications/test/regex/regexTest.C
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..51c07b9ceecea77332a64730bd12807689bff171
--- /dev/null
+++ b/applications/test/regex/regexTest.C
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*\
+ ========= |
+ \\ / F ield | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
+ \\ / O peration |
+ \\ / A nd | Copyright (C) 1991-2008 OpenCFD Ltd.
+ \\/ M anipulation |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+License
+ This file is part of OpenFOAM.
+
+ OpenFOAM is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+ under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the
+ Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your
+ option) any later version.
+
+ OpenFOAM is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+ ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+ FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License
+ for more details.
+
+ You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ along with OpenFOAM; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
+ Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA
+
+Description
+
+\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+
+#include "IOstreams.H"
+#include "IOobject.H"
+#include "IFstream.H"
+#include "regExp.H"
+#include "List.H"
+#include "Tuple2.H"
+
+using namespace Foam;
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+// Main program:
+
+int main(int argc, char *argv[])
+{
+
+ List<Tuple2<string, string> > rawList(IFstream("testRegexps")());
+ Info<< "input list:" << rawList << endl;
+ IOobject::writeDivider(Info);
+ Info<< endl;
+
+ List<string> groups;
+
+ // report matches:
+ forAll(rawList, elemI)
+ {
+ const string& pat = rawList[elemI].first();
+ const string& str = rawList[elemI].second();
+ regExp re(pat);
+
+ Info<< str << " =~ m/" << pat.c_str() << "/ == ";
+
+ if (re.match(str, groups))
+ {
+ Info<< "true";
+ if (re.ngroups())
+ {
+ Info<< groups;
+ }
+ }
+ else
+ {
+ Info<< "false";
+ if (re.match(str, true))
+ {
+ Info<< " partial match";
+ }
+ }
+ Info << endl;
+ }
+
+ Info<< endl;
+
+ return 0;
+}
+
+
+// ************************************************************************* //
diff --git a/applications/test/regex/testRegexps b/applications/test/regex/testRegexps
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..eeae1d865a7006f03a0543e4aece11fe69ee4933
--- /dev/null
+++ b/applications/test/regex/testRegexps
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+/*-------------------------------*- C++ -*---------------------------------*\
+| ========= |
+| \\ / OpenFOAM |
+| \\ / |
+| \\ / The Open Source CFD Toolbox |
+| \\/ http://www.OpenFOAM.org |
+\*-------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+// pattern, string
+(
+ ( "a.*" "abc" )
+ ( "a.*" "bac" )
+ ( "a.*" "abcd" )
+ ( "a.*" "def" )
+ ( "d(.*)f" "def" )
+)
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
diff --git a/src/OSspecific/Unix/Make/files b/src/OSspecific/Unix/Make/files
index 39c40b74c4353254e30ea7c50502dcd62e4da309..f83513ac4ac08d08f96d8cdbce23005b58c63584 100644
--- a/src/OSspecific/Unix/Make/files
+++ b/src/OSspecific/Unix/Make/files
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ signals/sigFpe.C
signals/sigSegv.C
signals/sigInt.C
signals/sigQuit.C
+regExp.C
timer.C
fileStat.C
Unix.C
diff --git a/src/OSspecific/Unix/regExp.C b/src/OSspecific/Unix/regExp.C
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..62c69512b712f65639008e14bac85a3b2c8d8b96
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/OSspecific/Unix/regExp.C
@@ -0,0 +1,196 @@
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*\
+ ========= |
+ \\ / F ield | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
+ \\ / O peration |
+ \\ / A nd | Copyright (C) 1991-2008 OpenCFD Ltd.
+ \\/ M anipulation |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+License
+ This file is part of OpenFOAM.
+
+ OpenFOAM is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+ under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the
+ Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your
+ option) any later version.
+
+ OpenFOAM is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+ ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+ FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License
+ for more details.
+
+ You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ along with OpenFOAM; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
+ Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA
+
+\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include "regExp.H"
+#include "label.H"
+#include "string.H"
+#include "List.H"
+#include "IOstreams.H"
+
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * Private Member Functions * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+void Foam::regExp::compile(const char* pat) const
+{
+ clear();
+ preg_ = new regex_t;
+
+ if (regcomp(preg_, pat, REG_EXTENDED) != 0)
+ {
+ FatalErrorIn
+ (
+ "regExp::compile(const char*)"
+ ) << "Failed to compile regular expression '" << pat << "'"
+ << exit(FatalError);
+ }
+}
+
+
+void Foam::regExp::clear() const
+{
+ if (preg_)
+ {
+ regfree(preg_);
+ delete preg_;
+ preg_ = 0;
+ }
+}
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Constructors * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+Foam::regExp::regExp()
+:
+ preg_(0)
+{}
+
+
+Foam::regExp::regExp(const string& pat)
+:
+ preg_(0)
+{
+ compile(pat.c_str());
+}
+
+
+Foam::regExp::regExp(const char* pat)
+:
+ preg_(0)
+{
+ compile(pat);
+}
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Destructor * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+Foam::regExp::~regExp()
+{
+ clear();
+}
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Member Functions * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+int Foam::regExp::ngroups() const
+{
+ return preg_ ? preg_->re_nsub : 0;
+}
+
+
+bool Foam::regExp::match
+(
+ const string& str,
+ bool partialMatch
+) const
+{
+ if (preg_ && str.size())
+ {
+ size_t nmatch = 1;
+ regmatch_t pmatch[1];
+
+ // match and also verify that the entire string was matched
+ if
+ (
+ regexec(preg_, str.c_str(), nmatch, pmatch, 0) == 0
+ &&
+ (
+ partialMatch
+ || (pmatch[0].rm_so == 0 && pmatch[0].rm_eo == label(str.size()))
+ )
+ )
+ {
+ return true;
+ }
+ }
+
+ return false;
+}
+
+
+bool Foam::regExp::match
+(
+ const string& str,
+ List<string>& groups,
+ bool partialMatch
+) const
+{
+ if (preg_ && str.size())
+ {
+ size_t nmatch = ngroups() + 1;
+ regmatch_t pmatch[nmatch];
+
+ // match and also verify that the entire string was matched
+ if
+ (
+ regexec(preg_, str.c_str(), nmatch, pmatch, 0) == 0
+ &&
+ (
+ partialMatch
+ || (pmatch[0].rm_so == 0 && pmatch[0].rm_eo == label(str.size()))
+ )
+ )
+ {
+ groups.setSize(ngroups());
+ label groupI = 0;
+
+ for (size_t matchI = 1; matchI < nmatch; matchI++)
+ {
+ if (pmatch[matchI].rm_so != -1 && pmatch[matchI].rm_eo != -1)
+ {
+ groups[groupI] = str.substr
+ (
+ pmatch[matchI].rm_so,
+ pmatch[matchI].rm_eo - pmatch[matchI].rm_so
+ );
+ }
+ else
+ {
+ groups[groupI].clear();
+ }
+ groupI++;
+ }
+
+ return true;
+ }
+ }
+
+ groups.clear();
+ return false;
+}
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Member Operators * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+
+void Foam::regExp::operator=(const string& pat)
+{
+ compile(pat.c_str());
+}
+
+
+void Foam::regExp::operator=(const char* pat)
+{
+ compile(pat);
+}
+
+// ************************************************************************* //
diff --git a/src/OSspecific/Unix/regExp.H b/src/OSspecific/Unix/regExp.H
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..8d28849babca92effd4fe1759cbc61111722ae33
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/OSspecific/Unix/regExp.H
@@ -0,0 +1,133 @@
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*\
+ ========= |
+ \\ / F ield | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
+ \\ / O peration |
+ \\ / A nd | Copyright (C) 1991-2008 OpenCFD Ltd.
+ \\/ M anipulation |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+License
+ This file is part of OpenFOAM.
+
+ OpenFOAM is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+ under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the
+ Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your
+ option) any later version.
+
+ OpenFOAM is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+ ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+ FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License
+ for more details.
+
+ You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ along with OpenFOAM; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
+ Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA
+
+Class
+ Foam::regExp
+
+Description
+ Wrapper around regular expressions.
+ The beginning-of-line and end-of-line anchors are added by default.
+
+SourceFiles
+ regExp.C
+
+\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+
+#ifndef regExp_H
+#define regExp_H
+
+#include <regex.h>
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+namespace Foam
+{
+
+// Forward declaration of classes
+class string;
+template<class T> class List;
+
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*\
+ Class regExp Declaration
+\*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+
+class regExp
+{
+ // Private data
+
+ //- Precompiled regular expression
+ mutable regex_t* preg_;
+
+ // Private member functions
+
+ //- release allocated space
+ void clear() const;
+
+ //- compile into a regular expression
+ void compile(const char*) const;
+
+ //- Disallow default bitwise copy construct
+ regExp(const regExp&);
+
+ //- Disallow default bitwise assignment
+ void operator=(const regExp&);
+
+public:
+
+ // Constructors
+
+ //- Construct null
+ regExp();
+
+ //- Construct from string
+ regExp(const string&);
+
+ //- Construct from character array
+ regExp(const char*);
+
+ // Destructor
+
+ ~regExp();
+
+ // Member functions
+
+ //- Return the number of (groups)
+ int ngroups() const;
+
+ //- Return true if matches, partial matches are optional
+ bool match
+ (
+ const string&,
+ bool partialMatch=false
+ ) const;
+
+ //- Return true if matches and sets sub-groups matched,
+ // partial matches are optional
+ bool match
+ (
+ const string&,
+ List<string>& groups,
+ bool partialMatch=false
+ ) const;
+
+ // Member Operators
+
+ //- Assign from a string
+ void operator=(const string&);
+
+ //- Assign from a character array
+ void operator=(const char*);
+
+};
+
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+} // End namespace Foam
+
+// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
+
+#endif
+
+// ************************************************************************* //