PHP: Regex for exact match

Question

Here is the regex I currently have (which kind of works):

$regex = '/[\w ]{7,30}/';

My revision looks like what I want, but it does not work at all:

$regex = '^[\w ]{7,30}$';

Here is how I am using the regex:

public function isValid( $value )
{

    $regex = '/^[\w ]{7,30}$/';
    return preg_match( $regex, $value ) ? true : false;

}

I am trying to match the following:

Any lower/upper case letter
Any digit
Can contain spaces
Cannot contain line breaks or tab space
Minimum of 7 characters
Maximum of 30 characters

Valid inputs:

Testing
Test ing
Test123
Test 123
Test___

Invalid inputs:

Testing#
Testin8+
Tester1&

The first regex will match all valid inputs, as well as invalid (as long as the first four characters are valid, it doesn't care about the rest). The second regex matches nothing.

`^…$` matches the whole string. `\w` matches chars, `\d` matches digits — knittl, Feb 22 '12 at 19:24
@alickus `\s` includes line-breaks and tabs, so no, it's not better to use `\s`. — Nahydrin, Feb 22 '12 at 19:26
This should give you an error because the parenthesis/delimiters is/are missing. Try `$regex = '/^[\w ]{7,30}$/';` — hakre, Feb 22 '12 at 19:26
@Brian if yours such requirements then yes, just trying quess 'kind of works' — Aurimas Ličkus, Feb 22 '12 at 19:28
I'm not sure I understand. The second regexp should work too, but, of course, only if you use delimiters. You haven't added delimiters, and that's the actual problem? Or did you add delimiters but forgot to include them in the question, and the regexp (with delimiters as any regexp needs) doesn't match? — rid, Feb 22 '12 at 19:31
@Radu I added delimiters and the second regexp works just like the first, see the inputs and comment I added to the post. — Nahydrin, Feb 22 '12 at 19:31
`preg_match('/^[\w ]{7,30}$/', 'Test 123')` works just fine for me. Can you also post the code you used? — rid, Feb 22 '12 at 19:33
@Radu I have added the code being used, as well as invalid inputs that are passing, when they should not. — Nahydrin, Feb 22 '12 at 19:36
`isVaild('Test 123')` returns `true` and `isValid('Testing#')` returns `false`. Is that not the expected behavior? — rid, Feb 22 '12 at 19:38
For some reason `isValid('Testing#');` is returning true. I should point out that I am sending the values through a jQuery ajax request. — Nahydrin, Feb 22 '12 at 19:43

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 22 '12 at 19:26

3

Try combining both like so:

$regex = '/^[\w ]{7,30}$/';

answered Feb 22 '12 at 19:26

Drew Galbraith

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I needed to add the delimiters as well as escape the input from my ajax request. Some special characters are not sent unless escaped. – Nahydrin Feb 22 '12 at 19:47

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 22 '12 at 19:27

1

Don't forget your delimiters:

/^[\w ]{7,30}$/

answered Feb 22 '12 at 19:27

SenorAmor

3,351
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Edwin · Answer 3 · 2012-02-22T19:44:12.337

1

You're missing the / at the beginning and end.

$regex = '/^[\w ]{7,30}$/';

edited Feb 22 '12 at 19:44

answered Feb 22 '12 at 19:27

Edwin

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My bad; that comment wasn't live when I wrote my answer. – Edwin Feb 22 '12 at 19:44

score 1 · Answer 4 · edited Feb 23 '12 at 21:51

1

'/^[\w ]{7,30}$/'

You're missing the delimiters.

edited Feb 23 '12 at 21:51

animuson

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answered Feb 22 '12 at 19:30

SNAG

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PHP: Regex for exact match

4 Answers4