Preg_match needs to search for a word, not any part of a word that matches

Hi,
Back at the trough of knowledge again...

I'm using preg_match to detect if someone text messages the word 'add' or 'subscribe' in a text message so I know if they want to be subscribed to my app.

if ((preg_match("/add/i", $body)) || (preg_match("/subscribe/i", $body))) {

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Problem I've just noticed is I also use:

else if ((preg_match("/remove/i", $body)) || (preg_match("/unsubscribe/i", $body))) {

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to tell if they want to be removed. Preg_match is matching any string that contains those letters (case insensitive). Works great for 'add' and 'remove' but 'subscribe' and 'unsubscribe' is a problem. I'm guessing its seeing the 'subscribe' in unsubscribe first and acts accordingly.

What would I use to look for the words? I thought about a space at each end but someone could type out one of the words starting without a space or ending without.
LVL 1
tjyoungAsked:
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Ray PaseurCommented:
Sorry - not \w, but \b does the word-boundary identification.
http://www.laprbass.com/RAY_temp_tjyoung.php
outputs:
This is a request to add or subscribe MATCHES #(\bADD\b|\bSUBSCRIBE\b)#i
This is a request to unsubscribe or addle
SuBscrIBE MATCHES #(\bADD\b|\bSUBSCRIBE\b)#i
Add. MATCHES #(\bADD\b|\bSUBSCRIBE\b)#i
  Add.??! MATCHES #(\bADD\b|\bSUBSCRIBE\b)#i
AddSubscribe
Subscriber
unsubscribe
un-subscribe MATCHES #(\bADD\b|\bSUBSCRIBE\b)#i

Best regards, ~Ray
<?php // RAY_temp_tjyoung.php
error_reporting(E_ALL);
echo "<pre>";

// TEST STRINGS IN AN ARRAY
$arr = array
( 'This is a request to add or subscribe'
, 'This is a request to unsubscribe or addle'
, 'SuBscrIBE'
, 'Add.'
, '  Add.??!'
, 'AddSubscribe'
, 'Subscriber'
, 'unsubscribe'
, 'un-subscribe'
)
;

// A REGEX TO FIND THE ADD OR SUBSCRIBE
$rgx
= '#'                       // REGEX DELIMITER
. '(\bADD\b|\bSUBSCRIBE\b)' // WORD-DELIMITED "ADD" OR "SUBSCRIBE"
. '#'                       // REGEX DELIMITER
. 'i'                       // CASE-INSENSITIVE
;

foreach ($arr as $str)
{
    echo PHP_EOL . $str;
    if (preg_match($rgx, $str)) echo " MATCHES $rgx";
}

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DerokorianCommented:
if ((preg_match("/add/i", $body)) || (preg_match("/[^un]subscribe/i", $body))) {

try that. The carat ^ means not matching.
0
 
DerokorianCommented:
Actually it might need to be parentheses instead of brackets.

if ((preg_match("/add/i", $body)) || (preg_match("/(^un)subscribe/i", $body))) {
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Ray PaseurCommented:
I believe that you can use the \w character class to delimit words.

you might also find the (XXX) group operator to be useful.
0
 
tjyoungAuthor Commented:
I don't think the carat method is doing it. Add and Remove are working as expected so I am guessing the other 2 are problems.
0
 
Ray PaseurCommented:
Here is another variant.  Note the ambiguity of un-subscribe.  Might require some tinkering!

Outputs:
This is a request to add or subscribe WANTS TO ADD / SUBSCRIBE
This is a request to unsubscribe or addle WANTS TO REMOVE / UNSUB
SuBscrIBE WANTS TO ADD / SUBSCRIBE
Add. WANTS TO ADD / SUBSCRIBE
  Add.??! WANTS TO ADD / SUBSCRIBE
AddSubscribe
Subscriber
unsubscribe WANTS TO REMOVE / UNSUB
un-subscribe WANTS TO ADD / SUBSCRIBE  WANTS TO REMOVE / UNSUB
Please remove me from the list WANTS TO REMOVE / UNSUB 
<?php // RAY_temp_tjyoung.php
error_reporting(E_ALL);
echo "<pre>";

// TEST STRINGS IN AN ARRAY
$arr = array
( 'This is a request to add or subscribe'
, 'This is a request to unsubscribe or addle'
, 'SuBscrIBE'
, 'Add.'
, '  Add.??!'
, 'AddSubscribe'
, 'Subscriber'
, 'unsubscribe'
, 'un-subscribe'
, 'Please remove me from the list'
)
;

// A REGEX TO FIND THE ADD OR SUBSCRIBE
$rgx_add
= '#'                           // REGEX DELIMITER
. '(\bADD\b|\bSUBSCRIBE\b)'     // WORD-DELIMITED "ADD" OR "SUBSCRIBE"
. '#'                           // REGEX DELIMITER
. 'i'                           // CASE-INSENSITIVE
;

// A REGEX TO FIND THE REMOVE OR UNSUB-SCRIBE
$rgx_rmv
= '#'                           // REGEX DELIMITER
. '(\bREMOVE\b|\bUN.*?SUBS*?)' // WORD-DELIMITED "REMOVE" OR VARIANT OF "UN-SUBSCRIBE"
. '#'                           // REGEX DELIMITER
. 'i'                           // CASE-INSENSITIVE
;

foreach ($arr as $str)
{
    echo PHP_EOL . $str;
    if (preg_match($rgx_add, $str)) echo " WANTS TO ADD / SUBSCRIBE ";
    if (preg_match($rgx_rmv, $str)) echo " WANTS TO REMOVE / UNSUB ";
}

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tjyoungAuthor Commented:
Hi Ray,
I'm sure its right in principle but with my limited skillset, I can't seem to implement it into what I'm doing. I've embedded a sample out of desperation after many attempts.

This is the basic idea (I've omitted the db portions etc.)

  
<?php

$From = $_REQUEST['From'];
$body = $_REQUEST['Body'];

header("content-type: text/xml");
echo  "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?>\n";
?>

<Response>

<?php

include '../config.php';

	
if ((preg_match("/add/i", $body)) || (preg_match("/subscribe/i", $body))) {
	

}


 else if ((preg_match("/remove/i", $body)) || (preg_match("/unsubscribe/i", $body))) {

	


} else {?>
		<Sms>We're sorry. Our system did not understand your message. Please contact our station if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you.</Sms>
	<?php } ?>
	
</Response>

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Ray PaseurCommented:
Click here and look at the output.
http://www.laprbass.com/RAY_temp_tjyoung.php

You might want to copy the script at ID:36519788 and adapt it to use your test data instead of my test data.
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hieloCommented:
try:
<?php

$From = $_REQUEST['From'];
$body = $_REQUEST['Body'];

header("content-type: text/xml");
echo  "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?>\n";
?>

<Response>

<?php

include '../config.php';

$temp=str_replace('-','',strtolower($body));	
if ( preg_match('/\b(remove|unsubscribe)\b/', $temp) ) {

	

}
elseif ( preg_match('/(add|subscribe)/', $temp) ) {

	


} else {?>
		<Sms>We're sorry. Our system did not understand your message. Please contact our station if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you.</Sms>
	<?php } ?>
	
</Response>

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tjyoungAuthor Commented:
Hi heilo,
add, subscribe and remove work but when you send unsubscribe, it thinks it is 'subscribe'.
0
 
Terry WoodsIT GuruCommented:
Ray's idea of using word boundaries should do the trick (have altered hielo's code):
<?php

$From = $_REQUEST['From'];
$body = $_REQUEST['Body'];

header("content-type: text/xml");
echo  "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?>\n";
?>

<Response>

<?php

include '../config.php';

$temp=str_replace('-','',strtolower($body));	
if ( preg_match('/\b(remove|unsubscribe)\b/', $temp) ) {

	

}
elseif ( preg_match('/\b(add|subscribe)\b/', $temp) ) {  # CHANGED THIS LINE

	


} else {?>
		<Sms>We're sorry. Our system did not understand your message. Please contact our station if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you.</Sms>
	<?php } ?>
	
</Response>

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0
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