PCRE/Extended-POSIX portability in PEAR packages

Hi, I'm trying to find a PEAR solution to the problem of PCRE or Extended POSIX functions not being compiled into PHP for certain packages that use them. For example sake, let's say I want to use HTML_Template_Flexy but the PHP installation it is to run under doesn't have PCRE built in. Let's also assume, that ereg_* functions could work for the package (with minor adjustments to the pattern syntax.) Solutions: 1. Make the package dependent on the PCRE extension, But then we can't use a package that use preg_* in the situation above. 2. Add "if (function_exists('preg_replace'))" type of statements everywhere in the package code, and possibly use the ereg_* functions instead, That works fine, but clutters the code a lot. 3. Add a "preg_replace()" function to the PHP_Compat package. A bit complicated to write, and we can't really rely on possible ereg_* function. 4. Create a new PHP_Portable package that defines a "reg_replace()" function, that will detect which RE extension is available. A bit like PHP_Compat. This is my prefered solution: doesn't clutter package code. Possibly fastest solution, although there is dependency on extra package. Would also allow for array support for ereg_* functions. See http://www.11abacus.com/dev/pear/reg_replace.phps 5. Define a "regExReplace()" method in PEAR package Would make it available to all packages but bloat the PEAR package. 6. Define a "regExReplace()" method inside the package itself. Downside is that the "reg_replace()" method would need to be added to each and every package that could use some portability for RE functions. Reducing code re-use, but no extra dependencies... 7. Define a PHP_RegEx package that would define a "replace()" method. Same idea as with PHP_Portable but in a class. All the above applies to all preg_* and ereg_* functions... But I guess you all know what I meant. Of course if none of PCRE or extended POSIX functions are available, then the package cannot be used at all. One last solution is to provide one new RegEx package plus copy/paste the necessary code directly into the packages that could use it. This way we have a library of portable functions available in PEAR and we limit the dependency on an extra package. What do you think? -Philippe