preg_match alternative

I am looking for an alternative to preg_match.
preg_match returns true or false the the regex was found.
I am looking for something that returns the string if it is found.
I tried using preg_grep with no luck, it's always returning the entire line.

Eg.

$strSearch = "We went to the store.";

if($strMatch = preg_match("/[a-zA-Z0-9]+ore/", $strSearch)) {
	echo $strMatch;
}
//This should return 'store', instead of true

PHP:

 

Actually, preg_match returns an integer; you're just interpreting the return value as boolean.

Include the $matches parameter to accomplish what you desire and read up on preg_match and preg_match_al.

<?php
$strSearch = 
 "We went to the store with the intention of buying something from the store. "
."When we got to the store, we discovered the store was closed. "
."So we returned home with nothing to store in cupboard.";

if($strMatch = preg_match("/[a-zA-Z0-9]+ore/", $strSearch, $matches)) {
  echo '<pre>';
  print "Matches: $strMatch<br>"; 
  print_r($matches);
  echo '</pre>';
}

/* Outputs:
Matches: 1
Array
(
    [0] => store
)
*/

if($strMatch = preg_match("/[a-zA-Z0-9]+ore/", $strSearch, $matches, PREG_OFFSET_CAPTURE)) {
  echo '<pre>';
  print "Matches: $strMatch<br>"; 
  print_r($matches);
  echo '</pre>';
}

/* Outputs:
Matches: 1
Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [0] => store
            [1] => 15
        )
)
*/

if($strMatch = preg_match_all("/[a-zA-Z0-9]+ore/", $strSearch, $matches, PREG_OFFSET_CAPTURE)) {
  echo '<pre>';
  print "Matches: $strMatch<br>"; 
  print_r($matches);
  echo '</pre>';
}
/* Outputs:
Matches: 5
Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [0] => Array
                (
                    [0] => store
                    [1] => 15
                )

            [1] => Array
                (
                    [0] => store
                    [1] => 69
                )

            [2] => Array
                (
                    [0] => store
                    [1] => 95
                )

            [3] => Array
                (
                    [0] => store
                    [1] => 120
                )

            [4] => Array
                (
                    [0] => store
                    [1] => 174
                )

        )

)
*/
?>

Code (markup):

 

Like dgreenhouse said, the matches will be stored in the third parameter you pass through. i.e. using your code:

$strSearch = "We went to the store.";

if($strMatch = preg_match("/[a-zA-Z0-9]+ore/", $strSearch, $matches)) {
    print_r($matches);
}

PHP: