Javascript issue: regex issue finding matches

Question

I'm sure it's simple and I just don't see it. I've been searching for examples and as short and simple as they are, I can't seem to find my issue.

I wish to validate a Postal Code field and use the Canadian Postal code format. I found an expression I wish to use and it looks like the following:

var validZIP={
   "US":"^\d{5}([\-]?\d{4})?$",
   "UK":"^(GIR|[A-Z]\d[A-Z\d]??|[A-Z]{2}\d[A-Z\d]??)[ ]??(\d[A-Z]{2})$",
   "CA":"^([ABCEGHJKLMNPRSTVXY]\d[ABCEGHJKLMNPRSTVWXYZ])\ {0,1}(\d[ABCEGHJKLMNPRSTVWXYZ]\d)$"
}

Please note the CA which stands for CAnada in this case.

My onChange function calls the following method (onchange class checkValidPostal(this) from the input):

function checkValidPostal(input)
{
    var re =  new RegExp(validZIP["CA"]);
    var value = input.value.toUpperCase();  
    if (value.match(re))
    {
        input.value = value;
        return true;    
    }
    input.value = "";
    return false;
}

I have checked the RegEx line using:

http://www.regular-expressions.info/javascriptexample.html and it works great on that page, but for some reason I can't get it to work on mine!

Please help.

I was passing in values such as : m5m5m5 or M2M2M2 ... etc. I used some console.log statements to validate that the test is happening, and the values are getting through, but the test is returning false. — NEW2WEB
– NEW2WEB, Commented Mar 20, 2013 at 18:17
I tried using TEST, but for some reason I couldn't do re.test(value) because it would give me an error that the object ^([ABCEGH... doesn't have a function test — NEW2WEB
– NEW2WEB, Commented Mar 20, 2013 at 18:18

Denys Séguret · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-20 18:16:24Z

4

There's a problem : as you use strings instead of regex literals, you lack some escapements.

Besides, you probably want to use test instead of match.

You could fix that like this :

var validZIP={
   "US": /^\d{5}([\-]?\d{4})?$/,
   "UK": /^(GIR|[A-Z]\d[A-Z\d]??|[A-Z]{2}\d[A-Z\d]??)[ ]??(\d[A-Z]{2})$/,
   "CA": /^([ABCEGHJKLMNPRSTVXY]\d[ABCEGHJKLMNPRSTVWXYZ])\ {0,1}(\d[ABCEGHJKLMNPRSTVWXYZ]\d)$/
}

function checkValidPostal(input) {
    var re =  validZIP["CA"];
    var value = input.value.toUpperCase();  
    if (re.test(value)) {
        input.value = value;
        return true;    
    }
    input.value = "";
    return false;
}

answered Mar 20, 2013 at 18:16

Denys Séguret

384k90 gold badges813 silver badges780 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

1 Comment

Brandon Buck Over a year ago

I was going to mention the use of RegExp#test over String#match as well. You can see this working at codepen.io/bbuck/pen/cBkou

Bill Ticehurst · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-20 18:15:41Z

2

Inside a string you'll need to double-escape your backslashes, else they are already escaped by the string and there are no backslashes remaining by the time the RegEx constructor gets the string.

answered Mar 20, 2013 at 18:15

Bill Ticehurst

1,88815 silver badges17 bronze badges

2 Comments

NEW2WEB Over a year ago

are you saying I should change : "CA":"^([ABCEGHJKLMNPRSTVXY]\d[ABCEGHJKLMNPRSTVWXYZ])\ {0,1}(\d[ABCEGHJKLMNPRSTVWXYZ]\d)$" to this: `"CA":"^([ABCEGHJKLMNPRSTVXY]\\d[ABCEGHJKLMNPRSTVWXYZ])\\ {0,1}(\\d[ABCEGHJKLMNPRSTVWXYZ]\\d)$"' ?

NEW2WEB Over a year ago

You're right! That was the problem all along. I will be removing the quotes from the regex strings in the array. Thanks so much Bill!

ulentini · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-20 18:18:10Z

0

Try putting pattern instead of strings in validZIP:

var validZIP={
   "US":/^\d{5}([\-]?\d{4})?$/,
   "UK":/^(GIR|[A-Z]\d[A-Z\d]??|[A-Z]{2}\d[A-Z\d]??)[ ]??(\d[A-Z]{2})$/,
   "CA":/^([ABCEGHJKLMNPRSTVXY]\d[ABCEGHJKLMNPRSTVWXYZ])\ {0,1}(\d[ABCEGHJKLMNPRSTVWXYZ]\d)$/
}

answered Mar 20, 2013 at 18:18

ulentini

2,4121 gold badge15 silver badges25 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Javascript issue: regex issue finding matches

3 Answers 3

1 Comment

2 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

3 Answers 3

1 Comment

2 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related