Tackling Regex – Value cannot start or end with space, but can contain spaces and selected characters, up to max length

Posted on | by Jason Snelders

Regex Sucks!

But I needed to update a form field regex validation, so I tackled it head-on and won.

As a side note, regular expression creation is also one of the best examples of where Test Driven Development (TDD) works well. You really cannot create or maintain a regex without having all the test cases written first.

 

Validation Requirements

For a value entered in the field, it:

  • Cannot start with a space.
  • Cannot end with a space.
  • May contain a one or more sapces (surrounded by other allowed characters).
  • May also contain the following characters: A-Z, a-Z, 0-0, “-“, “_”, “\”, “/”.
  • If a value is entered in the field the total character count may be from 1 to 20 characters.

 

Regex String

^([A-Za-z0-9\\\/_\-]|([A-Za-z0-9\\\/_\-][A-Za-z0-9\\\/_\- ]{0,18}[A-Za-z0-9\\\/_\-]))$

Regex Summary:

  1. For the first group (green):
    1. If the string contains only 1 character, ensure it is a valid character.
  2. OR, for the second set of 3 groups (purple):
    1. Ensure the first character is a valid character.
    2. Ensure 0-18 of the next characters is a valid character.
    3. Ensure the last character is a valid character.
    4. The combination of point 2.1, 2.2 & 2.3 handle scenarios of 2 up to 20 characters.

 

Test Data

kkdkd df sdf lk aj33<-- Pass
12345678901234567890<-- Pass
kjlf l-Ka034-/\_ kj0<-- Pass
adsfdsafsdaf dsfsdfa<-- Pass
dlASjd83_-/\dfdsfsda<-- Pass
adsfsdas  sdafsdafsa<-- Pass: Contains multiple spaces in a row
dsfsdf<-- Pass
2<-- Pass
11<-- Pass
111<-- Pass
- dsf<-- Pass
-df<-- Pass
/dsaf<-- Pass
\asdf<-- Pass
_asdf<-- Pass
_ sdfjlksdaflk jasdf<-- Pass

123456789012345678901<-- Fail. More than 20 characters
 asdf<-- Fail: Starts with a space
adsfsdas  sdafsdafs#<-- Fail: Ends with a #
 adsfsdafsdfsdfsadds<-- Fail: Starts with a space
dfsdafljkasdfklsdsd <-- Fail: Ends with a space
#<-- Fail: Invalid character only
 <-- Fail: Space only
2 <-- Fail: Ends with space
 2<-- Fail: Starts with a space

<-- Ignore: Blank line

 

See it in action

https://regex101.com/r/2uMivO/6

 

Tricky Bits

It took some trial and error to get this and using https://regex101.com was a huge help and time saver.

My final problem was allowing a single character, and that was whee the OR (“|”) came in, adding it to the start of the group.