Validating HTML form using Javascript regular expression

Question

I am having a script which validates a user's name. When the user enters name without spaces then it works fine. If user enters name with spaces (name, surname, lastname etc) then it is not working. I am trying to capture 'space' character using \s but it is not working.

My script is:

var name=document.forms["newform"]["fullname"].value; //get the name from HTML form
var charpos = name.search("[^A-Za-z\s]");
if (name.length <= 0 || name.length>=50 || charpos >= 0)
{
    alert('wrong.');
}
else
{
     alert('correct');
}

Input1: AFGH

Output1: correct

Input2: ABCD EFGH

Output2: wrong

When Input2 is given, charpos gets the value '5'.

SLaks · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-28 20:32:24Z

1

The string literal is swallowing the \.

You should use a regex literal:

name.search(/[^A-Za-z\s]/);

answered Dec 28, 2011 at 20:32

SLaks

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2 Comments

sumit Over a year ago

Thanks SLaks. It worked!! Can you please explain a little how string literal is swallowing the ` \ `? What swallowing means? Thanks again.

Qtax Over a year ago

@iSumitG, \ is an escape in regular strings, if you want the character it self to be present in the string, you have to escape it, eg "[^A-Za-z\\s]".

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