Help!!! RegExp for any printable characters

[oldflint]

Apparently got stuck with the simple task to validate an entry with any PRINTABLE characters (ASCII between 32 and 126) using search (or any other) method. Something like:

if (str.search( . . . ) != -1)
return true;
else
return false;

I was thinking more like using Predefined Sets, i.e. [print:]
or [:graph:]. but nobody really gives any examples of syntax with those things.

Any idea would be greatly appreciated!!!

[beetle]

How about the whole string method for ya?

String.prototype.isPrintable = function()
{
    var pat = '';
    for ( var i = 32; i <= 126; i++ )
    {
        pat += "\\x" + i.toString(16);
    }
    var regex = new RegExp( "[^" + pat + "]" );
    return ( !regex.test( this ) )
}

[liorean]

String.prototype.isPrintable=function(){
    var re=/^[\x20-\x7e]*$/;
    return re.test(this);
}

Would be much more efficient than what Beetle wrote.

[beetle]

Ooh, ranges with ascii chars. Missed that one.

Nice liorean

Is it better to test the entire string for compliancy, or let the regex look at the compliancy of each char? (if you follow me, using a negated character set)

String.prototype.isPrintable=function(){
    var re=/[^\x20-\x7e]$/;
    return !re.test(this);
}

[liorean]

Well, actually I realised that your code would work in any case, since you would have returned true only if no character without the range existed in it. I just used my start and end from my habit of making sure the whole string is checked. This would actually be more efficient:

String.prototype.isPrintable=function(){
    var re=/[^ -~]/;
    return !re.test(this);
}

(Your last code wouldn't - you check for a negated charset followed by end of string.)

[oldflint]

Wow!

Thank you gentlemen big time!

But say, I gotta take care about a different locale. Not only Latin alphabet. does anybody know how to use those predefined sets, i.e. [:print:] or [:graph:], etc.?

THANKS AGAIN!!!

[liorean]

JavaScript doesn't handle the predefined sets, just a subset of PCRE. You'll have to specify the ranges for the characters in question.

[beetle]

Originally posted by liorean
(Your last code wouldn't - you check for a negated charset followed by end of string.)

Oops, that was a typo.

[oldflint]

Thank you again, gentlemen!

[Choopernickel]

You have no chance make your time!


(sorry... I'll get my coat on the way out...)