regexp_replace woes - response (4) by dougfy

I have opened DR 168432 and we have done a recheck to see what is not correct with these functions.
 
Here are items where our documentation is wrong:
1) If the startSearch parameter is not specified, it defaults to 1 as stated. However, if it is specified as NULL, we return NULL. The documentations says if NULL, it defaults to 1.
2) If the occurrence arg is not specified, it defaults to 1 (not 0 as stated in the documentation.) If it is specified as NULL, the function returns NULL. The documentations says if NULL, it defaults to 0.
3) The documentation states: If match arg is omitted, an error is returned. This is not true.
Here is where we deviate from Oracle.
1. Oracle allows 3,4,5,or 6 parameters. We don't allow 5. – Will be fixed.
2. Oracle defaults the occurrence parameter to 0 if not specified, we set it to 1. - Will be fixed.
3. Oracle allows an x in the match arg meaning ignore whitespace. – Will investigate if we can implement.
4. If match arg is omitted. We default to case sensitive since there is no NLS_SORT.
5. We don't handle backreferencing correctly. Will be fixed.