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Need to update URL validation javascript function to require http:// or https:// prefix

I need to update the following URL validation javascript so that it checks to make sure that the entered url is prefixed with either http:// or https://

function isValidURL(url){
var RegExp = /^(([\w]+:)?\/\/)?(([\d\w]|%[a-fA-f\d]{2,2})+(:([\d\w]|%[a-fA-f\d]{2,2})+)?@)?([\d\w][-\d\w]{0,253}[\d\w]\.)+[\w]{2,4}(:[\d]+)?(\/([-+_~.\d\w]|%[a-fA-f\d]{2,2})*)*(\?(&?([-+_~.\d\w]|%[a-fA-f\d]{2,2})=?)*)?(#([-+_~.\d\w]|%[a-fA-f\d]{2,2})*)?$/;
if(RegExp.test(url)){
return true;
}else{
return false;
}
}

Please advise.

Thanks!
- Yvan

darren-w-

Try this:

var RegExp = /^(http|https)://(([\w]+:)?\/\/)?(([\d\w]|%[a-fA-f\d]{2,2})+(:([\d\w]|%[a-fA-f\d]{2,2})+)?@)?([\d\w][-\d\w]{0,253}[\d\w]\.)+[\w]{2,4}(:[\d]+)?(\/([-+_~.\d\w]|%[a-fA-f\d]{2,2})*)*(\?(&?([-+_~.\d\w]|%[a-fA-f\d]{2,2})=?)*)?(#([-+_~.\d\w]|%[a-fA-f\d]{2,2})*)?$/;

hielo

change:
^(([\w]+:)?\/\/)?

to:
^((http:)?\/\/)?

Also, at the end of the RegEx, you need to add the "i" to make it case insensitive:
...?$/i;

hielo

Edited version:

function isValidURL(url){
var RegExp = /^((https?:)\/\/)?(([\d\w]|%[a-fA-f\d]{2,2})+(:([\d\w]|%[a-fA-f\d]{2,2})+)?@)?([\d\w][-\d\w]{0,253}[\d\w]\.)+[\w]{2,4}(:[\d]+)?(\/([-+_~.\d\w]|%[a-fA-f\d]{2,2})*)*(\?(&?([-+_~.\d\w]|%[a-fA-f\d]{2,2})=?)*)?(#([-+_~.\d\w]|%[a-fA-f\d]{2,2})*)?$/i;
if(RegExp.test(url)){
return true;
}else{
return false;
}
}

egoselfaxis

ASKER

Heilo -- does your edited version only check for https:// prefixes? It seems it based on what I'm seeing in the code.

- yg

darren-w-

Hi,

I've just checked :

^(http|https)://(([\w]+:)?\/\/)?(([\d\w]|%[a-fA-f\d]{2,2})+(:([\d\w]|%[a-fA-f\d]{2,2})+)?@)?([\d\w][-\d\w]{0,253}[\d\w]\.)+[\w]{2,4}(:[\d]+)?(\/([-+_~.\d\w]|%[a-fA-f\d]{2,2})*)*(\?(&?([-+_~.\d\w]|%[a-fA-f\d]{2,2})=?)*)?(#([-+_~.\d\w]|%[a-fA-f\d]{2,2})*)?$

out here

http://www.regular-expressions.info/javascriptexample.html

and it works correctly?

so :

http://www.test.com : successful
https://www.test.com : successful
www.test.com : no match

hielo

>>does your edited version only check for https:// prefixes? I
No. It takes into consideration, both http and https

This:
https?

means that the "s" is optional. In other words, it could start with:
http OR https

egoselfaxis

ASKER

I tested it and it doesn't work.

hielo

>>I've just checked :
>>and it works correctly?
try:

http://www://google.com

OR
HTTP://www.google.com

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

hielo

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egoselfaxis

ASKER

I ended up doing the url validation on the server-side (by adding the http:// prefix whenever necessary) -- but thanks for your help.

- Yvan