re_flag_dotall.py

#!/usr/bin/env python


import re

text = 'This is some text -- with punctuation.\nA second line.'
pattern = r'.+'
no_newlines = re.compile(pattern)
dotall = re.compile(pattern, re.DOTALL)

print 'Text:\n %r' % text
print 'Pattern:\n %s' % pattern
print 'No newlines :'
for match in no_newlines.findall(text):
    print ' %r' % match
print 'Dotall      :'
for match in dotall.findall(text):
    print ' %r' % match