Ensure string is in a certain pattern

Question

What is the regex to ensure a string is in below pattern

string::string with | as the separator if more than one.

For example:

1::String (ok)

1::James is a boy|2::Hello (ok)

1:James is a boy | 2:Hello (not ok - single column)

1:String , 2:Hellos (not ok - separator is a comma)

I tried the following code:

$pattern = '/\w::\w|/'; $string = "1::Strings|1::Strings"; preg_match($pattern , $string, $match);

$pattern = '/\w::\w|/'; $string = "1::Strings|1::Strings"; preg_match($pattern , $string, $match); How to enforce the separator if more than one is the challenge — user1502826, Jan 18 '16 at 15:26

score 1 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:23

1

You could try a regex like this

^(?:(\w+::\w[^:]+)\|)*(?1)$

(\w+::\w[^:]+) the subpattern is the format defined inside the first capture group.
^(?:...\|)* any amount of subpattern inside non capture group with trailing |
(?1) subpattern is required at least once

edited May 23 '17 at 12:23

Community

answered Jan 18 '16 at 15:47

bobble bubble

1

modified a little ^(?:(\w+::\w[^:]+)\|\s?)*(?1)$ - to allow space after or before the separator – user1502826 Jan 18 '16 at 16:04

1 Answers1