note 90503 added to function.preg-match

I see a lot of people trying to put together phone regex's and struggling (hey, no worries...they're complicated). Here's one that we use that's pretty nifty. It's not perfect, but it should work for most non-idealists. *** Note: Only matches U.S. phone numbers. *** <? // all on one line... $regex = '/^(?:1(?:[. -])?)?(?:\((?=\d{3}\)))?([2-9]\d{2})(?:(?<=\(\d{3})\))? ?(?:(?<=\d{3})[.-])?([2-9]\d{2})[. -]?(\d{4})(?: (?i:ext)\.? ?(\d{1,5}))?$/'; // or broken up $regex = '/^(?:1(?:[. -])?)?(?:\((?=\d{3}\)))?([2-9]\d{2})' .'(?:(?<=\(\d{3})\))? ?(?:(?<=\d{3})[.-])?([2-9]\d{2})' .'[. -]?(\d{4})(?: (?i:ext)\.? ?(\d{1,5}))?$/'; ?> If you're wondering why all the non-capturing subpatterns (which look like this "(?:", it's so that we can do this: <? $formatted = preg_replace($regex, '($1) $2-$3 ext. $4', $phoneNumber); // or, provided you use the $matches argument in preg_match $formatted = "($matches[1]) $matches[2]-$matches[3]"; if ($matches[4]) $formatted .= " $matches[4]"; ?> *** Results: *** 520-555-5542 :: MATCH 520.555.5542 :: MATCH 5205555542 :: MATCH 520 555 5542 :: MATCH 520) 555-5542 :: FAIL (520 555-5542 :: FAIL (520)555-5542 :: MATCH (520) 555-5542 :: MATCH (520) 555 5542 :: MATCH 520-555.5542 :: MATCH 520 555-0555 :: MATCH (520)5555542 :: MATCH 520.555-4523 :: MATCH 19991114444 :: FAIL 19995554444 :: MATCH 514 555 1231 :: MATCH 1 555 555 5555 :: MATCH 1.555.555.5555 :: MATCH 1-555-555-5555 :: MATCH 520-555-5542 ext.123 :: MATCH 520.555.5542 EXT 123 :: MATCH 5205555542 Ext. 7712 :: MATCH 520 555 5542 ext 5 :: MATCH 520) 555-5542 :: FAIL (520 555-5542 :: FAIL (520)555-5542 ext .4 :: FAIL (512) 555-1234 ext. 123 :: MATCH 1(555)555-5555 :: MATCH ---- Server IP: 208.69.120.35 Probable Submitter: 72.177.49.202 ---- Manual Page -- http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.preg-match.php Edit -- https://master.php.net/note/edit/90503 Del: integrated -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/90503/integrated Del: useless -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/90503/useless Del: bad code -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/90503/bad+code Del: spam -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/90503/spam Del: non-english -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/90503/non-english Del: in docs -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/90503/in+docs Del: other reasons-- https://master.php.net/note/delete/90503 Reject -- https://master.php.net/note/reject/90503 Search -- https://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php