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Javascript Regex filename validation

I am trying to weed out 'bad' characters when a user is creating a filename. I am doing so with Javascript. Below is my code, another set of eyes would be great.

I am always getting my else condition "This is an invalid..."

Thanks.

<form enctype='multipart/form-data' action='web_query2.php' method=POST name='web_query' onsubmit=\"return blah(document.getElementById('txt').value);\">
 
 
function blah(str) {
   if (/^[^\\\/\:\*\?\"\<\>\|\.]+(\.[^\\\/\:\*\?\"\<\>\|\.]+)+$/.test(str)) {
      alert(\"valid file name\");
      return true;
   }
   else {
     alert(\"This is an invalid filename, please try again!\");
     return false;
   }
}

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humanonomics

I tried it using the attached code snippet and your method works like cool for me

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE> New Document </TITLE>
<META NAME="Generator" CONTENT="EditPlus">
<META NAME="Author" CONTENT="">
<META NAME="Keywords" CONTENT="">
<META NAME="Description" CONTENT="">
</HEAD>
 
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE='JAVASCRIPT'>
function blah(str) {
   if (/^[^\\\/\:\*\?\"\<\>\|\.]+(\.[^\\\/\:\*\?\"\<\>\|\.]+)+$/.test(str)) {
      alert("valid file name");
      return true;
   }
   else {
     alert("This is an invalid filename, please try again!");
     return false;
   }
}
</SCRIPT>
<BODY>
<form enctype='multipart/form-data' action='web_query2.php' method=POST name='web_query' >
 
<input type="button" name='submit' onclick='blah("abc.txt")'>
 
</form>
 
 
</BODY>
</HTML>

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David S.

Do you have a particular reason for not allowing multiple extensions? "archive.tar.gz" is an example of one.

Neil2526

ASKER

Of course. The user is creating a csv data file.

humanonomics

so why not also check for .csv ?

Neil2526

ASKER

they are not creating the extension, only the filename.

ie:
<th align=\"center\" class=\"fields\">
<input type=\"text\" id=\"txt\" name=\"filename\">.csv
</th>

Neil2526

ASKER

human -

I tried your snipit, too and it works fine. I am still not hitting my first condition. I am always hitting my else clause. Attached is the full php file.
file.txt

humanonomics

Oww ok, so the input is only the file name without extension ?

Neil2526

ASKER

yes. i think it has something to do with my regex.

humanonomics

But I used the same regex that you have used.

Neil2526

ASKER

the regex checks for:

XXX.XXX

My form submits:

XXX

ie:
<th align=\"center\" class=\"fields\">
<input type=\"text\" id=\"txt\" name=\"filename\">.csv
</th>

The user does not put in the DOT and the file extension.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

humanonomics

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