1. A method for compiling a source regular expression into a plurality of microprogram instructions for controlling a content search system, comprising: parsing the source regular expression into one or more sub-expressions, comprising an inexact sub-expression associated with an inexact pattern; compiling the inexact sub-expression into the plurality of microprogram instructions such that the plurality of microprogram instructions form a contiguous group of microprogram instructions; and storing the contiguous group of microprogram instructions into contiguous locations of an instruction memory.