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Preg_match needs to search for a word, not any part of a word that matches
Posted on 2011-09-11
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.
Problem I've just noticed is I also use:
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.
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))) {
Problem I've just noticed is I also use:
else if ((preg_match("/remove/i", $body)) || (preg_match("/unsubscribe/i", $body))) {
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.
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11 Comments
if ((preg_match("/add/i", $body)) || (preg_match("/[^un]subscri
try that. The carat ^ means not matching.
try that. The carat ^ means not matching.
Actually it might need to be parentheses instead of brackets.
if ((preg_match("/add/i", $body)) || (preg_match("/(^un)subscri
if ((preg_match("/add/i", $body)) || (preg_match("/(^un)subscri
I believe that you can use the \w character class to delimit words.
you might also find the (XXX) group operator to be useful.
you might also find the (XXX) group operator to be useful.
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.
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
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";
}
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
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 ";
}
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.)
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>
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.
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.
Active today
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>
Hi heilo,
add, subscribe and remove work but when you send unsubscribe, it thinks it is 'subscribe'.
add, subscribe and remove work but when you send unsubscribe, it thinks it is 'subscribe'.
Active today
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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