def parse(format, string, extra_types=None, evaluate_result=True, case_sensitive=False):
    '''Using "format" attempt to pull values from "string".

    The format must match the string contents exactly. If the value
    you're looking for is instead just a part of the string use
    search().

    If ``evaluate_result`` is True the return value will be an Result instance with two attributes:

     .fixed - tuple of fixed-position values from the string
     .named - dict of named values from the string

    If ``evaluate_result`` is False the return value will be a Match instance with one method:

     .evaluate_result() - This will return a Result instance like you would get
                          with ``evaluate_result`` set to True

    The default behaviour is to match strings case insensitively. You may match with
    case by specifying case_sensitive=True.

    If the format is invalid a ValueError will be raised.

    See the module documentation for the use of "extra_types".

    In the case there is no match parse() will return None.
    '''
    p = Parser(format, extra_types=extra_types, case_sensitive=case_sensitive)
    return p.parse(string, evaluate_result=evaluate_result)
Using "format" attempt to pull values from "string".

    The format must match the string contents exactly. If the value
    you're looking for is instead just a part of the string use
    search().

    If ``evaluate_result`` is True the return value will be an Result instance with two attributes:

     .fixed - tuple of fixed-position values from the string
     .named - dict of named values from the string

    If ``evaluate_result`` is False the return value will be a Match instance with one method:

     .evaluate_result() - This will return a Result instance like you would get
                          with ``evaluate_result`` set to True

    The default behaviour is to match strings case insensitively. You may match with
    case by specifying case_sensitive=True.

    If the format is invalid a ValueError will be raised.

    See the module documentation for the use of "extra_types".

    In the case there is no match parse() will return None.