Regex for a simple password

[linus72982]

I am building a new site for forums that has a high population of old people and they wouldn't appreciate me not allowing their simple passwords, so I search and search and everything I found on google requires complexity.  So, if anyone can help with a regex that does the following, I'd appreciate it:

 

1. Can contain only letters, numbers, and symbols (just the normal symbols, no unicode or slashes, etc)

2. Cannot contain spaces

3. Must be 8-16 characters in length

 

That's it, no other complexity required.  Thanks for any help.

[.josh]

Well, since you didn't really fully define what you consider to be "normal" symbols, this regex will only accept letters, numbers and any of the symbols above the numbers on your keyboard.

 

if (preg_match('~^[a-z0-9!@#\$%\^&\*\(\)]{8,16}$~i',$password)) {
  // valid
} else {
  // invalid
}

[linus72982]

Thanks, and yes, I meant just the symbols on the number keys.

 

I'll try it out.