How is this different from existing solutions to this problem?

This filtering system was developed as part of the MAPI and MMEDIA modules, but it was suggested that I make it slightly more generic, to be able to handle almost everything. It now does this.

It also allows for different contexts, so that modules can handle different the same tags, depending on the context in which they are located. This is very useful for doing teaser/body differences without changing the tag. This can also include doing filters within blocks differently depending on where the block is being displayed.

DME is currently only for d5, and flexifilter is almost completely different in method since it doesn't allow the ability to have "tags" with settings, as is generally required for tags such as [video:width="320";height="200].

As for the filtering modules, every single one of them could be written smaller, and more efficiently using this module.
It allows for single use tags, single balance tags (which don't allow other tags to be located within them), multi-balance tags (which allow other tags to be located within them, but not itself), and nested tags (allowing multi-balance with nested tags).

I've attached a bbcode style module to demonstate the possibility for how this can be used in a more efficient manner, as well as allowing theming control over the replacement tags themselves.

If you wish, I can provide speed indications for processing both small and large text. It is incredibly quick.

so how complex can u make it?

JS and CSS ??

since drupal wants everyone to stick to the mantra of processing on output, then the input text along with the tags get saved to DB and cant be accidentally damaged or mis-converted?

how is it different from the [rep] tag module?

Yes, how is it different from the custom filter module?

@chasz: I'm not sure which tag module you are referring to, so I have no idea how to answer the question about difference. It would be possible to do something like without a huge amount of effort to incorporate handling CSS and possibly with some effort into JS (although I have done this for an unpublished module called editbar, since the textarea bars where insufficient for my purposes). As for the changes regarding the database I wasn't aware of the only processing on output mantra. I was simply trying to figure out a solution to the context problem, especially in regards to the display of media files.

@miraploy: If you mean the flexifilter module, I answered that above. If it is another, could you be more specific as to which one?

On the other hand, if enough people think this is an irrelevant module, I'll be more than happy to remove it, since I have to withdraw from drupal orientated production due to work concerns.

This is the custom filter module:
http://drupal.org/project/customfilter

No please don't remove it. More choices are always good, but documentation is crucial in situations like these.

http://drupal.org/project/reptag

rep[lacement] tag

but i dont why you should remove this one, it might be a quick search and replace people might need.

If you dont have time, maybe you can invite another maintainer

I'll add some documentation soon.

There's also the inline module:

http://drupal.org/project/inline