Module:Escape input

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Escape input

Description	This module allows special Lua character sequences to be escaped and inserted as parameters in arguments.
Status	Unknown
Updated	May 26, 2026 (2 months ago)

This module allows special Lua character sequences to be escaped and inserted as parameters in arguments. In addition to those listed on mw:Extension:Scribunto/Lua_reference_manual#string, the following is how replacements are conducted:

Escape sequence	Character
\{	{
\}	}
\[	[
\]	]
\p	|
\e	=
\_

Documentation

Package items

escape_input.escape( string ) (function)

Escapes a specified format string

Parameter: string String with escape characters (string)

Returns: Escaped string

escape_input.main( frame ) (function)

Main entrypoint

Parameters:

frame Calling frame (table)

frame.args Frame arguments (table)

frame.args[1] Escaped string sequence (string; optional)

Returns: Escaped wikitext

Usage: {{#invoke:escape input|main|1=String to escape}}

---

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--- This module allows special Lua character sequences to be escaped and inserted
-- as parameters in arguments.
--  
-- In addition to those listed on [[mw:Extension:Scribunto/Lua_reference_manual#string]],
-- the following is how replacements are conducted:
--
-- {| class="wikitable"
-- ! Escape sequence !! Character
-- |-
-- | <code><nowiki>\{</nowiki></code> || <code><nowiki>{</nowiki></code>
-- |-
-- | <code><nowiki>\}</nowiki></code> || <code><nowiki>}</nowiki></code>
-- |-
-- | <code><nowiki>\[</nowiki></code> || <code><nowiki>[</nowiki></code>
-- |-
-- | <code><nowiki>\]</nowiki></code> || <code><nowiki>]</nowiki></code>
-- |-
-- | <code><nowiki>\p</nowiki></code> || <code><nowiki>|</nowiki></code>
-- |-
-- | <code><nowiki>\e</nowiki></code> || <code><nowiki>=</nowiki></code>
-- |-
-- | <code><nowiki>\_</nowiki></code> || <code><nowiki> </nowiki></code>
-- |}
--
-- @module escape_input
-- @alias p

local p = {}

--- Conducts the necessary replacement of the matched pattern string
-- @param {string} s Matched sequence to replace
-- @return Escaped character
local function replace( s )
	-- necessary replacement to make these characters work in the format string
	if s == '\\a' then return '\a'
	elseif s == '\\b' then return '\b'
	elseif s == '\\t' then return '\t'
	elseif s == '\\n' then return '\n'
	elseif s == '\\v' then return '\v'
	elseif s == '\\f' then return '\f'
	elseif s == '\\r' then return '\r'
	elseif s == '\\"' then return '\"'
	elseif s == '\\\'' then return '\''
	elseif s == '\\\\' then return '\\'
	-- additional custom escape sequences specific for wikitext markup
	elseif s == '\\{' then return '{'
	elseif s == '\\}' then return '}'
	elseif s == '\\[' then return '['
	elseif s == '\\]' then return ']'
	elseif s == '\\p' then return '|'
	elseif s == '\\e' then return '='
	elseif s == '\\_' then return ' '
	else return s
	end
end

--- Escapes a specified format string
--
-- @param {string} string String with escape characters
-- @return Escaped string
function p.escape( string )
	return mw.ustring.gsub( string, '\\.', replace )
end

--- Main entrypoint
--
-- @usage {{#invoke:escape input|main|1=String to escape}}
-- @param {table} frame Calling frame
-- @param {table} frame.args Frame arguments
-- @param {string} frame.args[1] Escaped string sequence
-- @return Escaped wikitext
function p.main( frame )
	return p.escape( frame.args[1] )
end

return p