public static RE createRE(String expression,int matchFlags) throws RESyntaxException {
  if (expression.startsWith(complexPrefix)) {
    return new RE(expression.substring(complexPrefix.length()),matchFlags);
  }
  return new RE(RE.simplePatternToFullRegularExpression(expression),matchFlags);
}

public static RE createRE ( String expression , int matchFlags ) throws RESyntaxException { if ( expression . startsWith ( complexPrefix ) ) { return new RE ( expression . substring ( complexPrefix . length ( ) ) , matchFlags ) ; } return new RE ( RE . simplePatternToFullRegularExpression ( expression ) , matchFlags ) ; }
creates a regular expression , permitting simple or complex syntax
