// returns a list of the matched tokens. understands ... (n tokens) and * (one token)
  static List<int[]> matchTokensList(L<S> inp, L<S> pat) {
    new List<int[]> list;
    for (int i = 1; i+pat.size()-3 < inp.size(); i += 2) {
      int j = matchTokens_step(inp, pat, i, 1);
      if (j >= 0)
        list.add(new int[] {i, j});
    }
    return list;
  }
  
 
  // returns last token matched + ofs 1 (in inp), or -1
  static int matchTokens_step(L<S> inp, L<S> pat, int i, int j) {
    boolean debug = false;
     if (i+j-1 >= inp.size()) return -1;
    for (; j < pat.size(); j += 2) {
      String p = pat.get(j);
      if (debug)
        System.out.println("step " + p + " " + inp.get(i+j-1));
      if (p == "*") {
        // ok, consume
      } else if (p == "." && pat.get(j+2).equals(".") && pat.get(j+4).equals(".")) {
        int bla = matchTokens_step(inp, pat, i, j+6); // end ...
        if (bla >= 0) return bla;
        return matchTokens_step(inp, pat, i+2, j); // continue ...
      } else {
        String found = inp.get(i + j - 1);
        if (!found.equalsIgnoreCase(unquote(p)))
          return -1;
      }
    }
    return i+j-2;
  }