Code validation

[ricklach]

If I have the line: 1 SOUR TMG in a text file in variable $fcontents, will the following code produce a "true" value?

$ct = preg_match("/SOUR.+(TMG|The Master Genealogist)/", $fcontents);
if ($ct == 0) return false;
return true; 

 

or do I need a space in the preg_match statement like this "/SOUR .+(...)

 

Rick

[BenInBlack]

that regex will match and so true is a correct response.

it matches because the preg_match using that regex does find "SOUR TMG" in the whole of the contents

 

if you add a space, yes it will return false but for the wrong reason, the space is greedy which then puts the regex pointer on the S of SOUR and now the .+ will move you to the end of the content, basically ignoring the rest of the regex statement.

 

your are going to have to split the $fcontents into line and change the regex to something like

so each line is passed thru it one at a time

so your var $fcontents = '1 SOUR TMG'

and adding the caret to the regex states the pattern start at position 1 of the content

/^SOUR .+(TMG|The Master Genealogist)/