Check for spaces using regex

Question

I'm using regex (I think that's what it's called - haha) to check my users' name to make sure it's valid. I want to make sure that the user doesn't have any characters. Just letters and spaces. I've got the only letters part down, but I can't get the spaces part fixed.

Here's what I'm using now..

if(preg_match("/[^a-zA-Z]/", " ", $name) != 0) {

        $errorlist = $errorlist."<li>You must enter a valid First and Last name (check for invalid characters)</li>";

}

Anyone see what I'm doing wrong?

you probably could use \s

Funk Forty Niner
– Funk Forty Niner

2013-05-15 00:22:31 +00:00
Commented May 15, 2013 at 0:22 — Funk Forty Niner
– Funk Forty Niner, Commented May 15, 2013 at 0:22
Can't use \s - that matches all whitespace characters

Steven Moseley
– Steven Moseley

2013-05-15 00:22:43 +00:00
Commented May 15, 2013 at 0:22 — Steven Moseley
– Steven Moseley, Commented May 15, 2013 at 0:22

Steven Moseley · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-15 00:21:39Z

1

Just add a space to your regex pattern. PS - your second parameter for preg_match() should probably be $name, right? Is there a reason you were testing " "?

if(preg_match("/[^a-zA-Z ]/", $name) != 0) {
    $errorlist = $errorlist."<li>You must enter a valid First and Last name (check for invalid characters)</li>";
}

answered May 15, 2013 at 0:21

Steven Moseley

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5 Comments

Ryan Fitzgerald Over a year ago

I didn't know it was that easy! Thanks!

Steven Moseley Over a year ago

@Fred - The reason you want to use a space character here instead of \s is that the latter would allow tabs and carriage returns in addition to spaces.

Funk Forty Niner Over a year ago

@StevenMoseley I deleted my question. I noticed it right after. Good call ;-) cheers

Funk Forty Niner Over a year ago

@StevenMoseley Would it also need to have a space after a-z?

Steven Moseley Over a year ago

@Fred - No. The pattern only requires a single representation of each character to match. In this case, we're saying "match NOT (all characters between a and z, all characters between A and Z, and spaces)"

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