What's wrong with my JavaScript regex / regex syntax?

Question

I need a regex to use with javascript/jquery that fits these rules...

it will include 10 digits
if there is a leading 1 or +1 it should be ignored
valid characters allowed in the field are... 0-9,(), and -

I found a regex at Snipplr (the first one), but its not working. First of all, I'm not even sure if that regex fits my rules. Secondly, its allowing inputs like &^%$$#%^adfafsd. I believe the error is in my code not the regex. For example, are there supposed to be quotes around the expression?

Here is the code that is supposed to be validating the phone field...

$('#phone').bind('blur', function() {
    var pattern = new RegExp("^(?:\+?1\s*(?:[.-]\s*)?)?(?:\(\s*([2-9]1[02-9]|[2-9][02-8]1|[2-9][02-8][02-9])\s*\)|([2-9]1[02-9]|[2-9][02-8]1|[2-9][02-8][02-9]))\s*(?:[.-]\s*)?([2-9]1[02-9]|[2-9][02-9]1|[2-9][02-9]{2})\s*(?:[.-]\s*)?([0-9]{4})$");
    if(pattern.test($('#phone').val())){
        $("#phone").addClass("error");
        return false;
    }else{
        $("#phone").removeClass("error");
        return true;
    }
    return true;
})

are you looking for it to match any phone number? there's quite a large number of possibilities for phone number format when you include dashes and parenthesis, and then even more when you get into international numbers and extensions. Otherwise your code looks fine. The regexp works too. — user400654
– user400654, Commented Feb 1, 2012 at 19:16

Jørgen · Accepted Answer · 2012-02-01 19:28:07Z

4

When you're not using the literal form ( /[regex]/ ), you need to escape the regex string. Try this instead:

var regex = /^(?:\+?1\s*(?:[.-]\s*)?)?(?:\(\s*([2-9]1[02-9]|[2-9][02-8]1|[2-9][02-8][02-9])\s*\)|([2-9]1[02-9]|[2-9][02-8]1|[2-9][02-8][02-9]))\s*(?:[.-]\s*)?([2-9]1[02-9]|[2-9][02-9]1|[2-9][02-9]{2})\s*(?:[.-]\s*)?([0-9]{4})$/;

if(regex.test($('#phone').val()){ ... }

answered Feb 1, 2012 at 19:28

Jørgen

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1 Comment

Kirkland Over a year ago

Sweet. That solved the syntax issue I was having with my code. I'm no longer getting errors when I inspect with Google Chrome. Now I just need a regex that works. Thanks!

Qtax · Accepted Answer · 2012-02-01 22:49:26Z

2

if there is a leading 1 or +1 it should be ignored it will include 10 digits valid characters allowed in the field are... 0-9,(), and -

That could be matched with an expression like:

/^(?:\+?1)?[()-]*(?:\d[()-]*){10}$/

edited Feb 1, 2012 at 22:49

answered Feb 1, 2012 at 19:24

Qtax

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3 Comments

Kirkland Over a year ago

Oooooo, that was close. Its way closer than the other one I was trying. However, the "if there is a leading 1 or +1 it should be ignored" rule did not work. Example, I entered... (888)000-0000 and it did work, but when I added a 1 like this... 1(888)000-0000 it came back as not valid. The 1 should be ignored. It also said these were not valid, but they should be... +1(888)000-0000 and 18880000000 and +18880000000.

Kirkland Over a year ago

I got it... /^[\+?1]*[(]*(?:\d[)-]*){10}$/ ...lets the user put a 1 or +1 at the beginning and ignores it, allows for a ( following the 1 or +1 or to start and ignores it, allows for a ) somewhere in the string and ignores it, allows - and ignores it, only allows digits for the other characters and limits the string to 10 of them. It's not 100% perfect... ex: this is valid 62)34567890 ...but its really close and that's all I need. Thanks for the help.

Qtax Over a year ago

@Kirkland, it was unclear what "it" referred to. Updated answer.

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