Re: regexp match in plpgsql

You are trying to check the entire string to ensure only the specified
character class matches at each position. What you are doing is seeing
whether or not there is at least one character class matching value in the
tested string.

Since you want to check the entire string you should:

Anchor it using "^" and "$"

Repeat the test: [a-zA-Z0-9]+ ; "+" so we do not match the empty-string

Thus: ^[a-zA-Z0-9]+$

As for the actual question, how, I am unsure but if the issue was (and you
never did say what output or errors you are getting) that you were getting
"true" for both tests then this is the reason and the solution.

David J.

From: pgsql-general-owner(at)postgresql(dot)org
[mailto:pgsql-general-owner(at)postgresql(dot)org] On Behalf Of Gauthier, Dave
Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2011 5:56 PM
To: pgsql-general(at)postgresql(dot)org
Subject: [GENERAL] regexp match in plpgsql

V8.3.4 on linux

How does one do a regexp match/test in PlPgsql given a text variable
containing a regexp and another text variable containt the string to test.
Example that shows what I'm trying to do...

declare

rgxp text;

str1 text;

str2 text;

begin

rgxp := '[a-zA-Z0-9]';

str1 := 'ShouldBeOK99';

str2 := 'Should_Fail_match77';

if(str1 =~ E\rgxp\) then raise notice '% is a match',str1; else
raise notice '% is not a match',str1; end if;

if(str2 =~ E\rgxp\) then raise notice '% is a match',str2; else
raise notice '% is not a match',str2; end if;

end;

$$ language plpgsql

I would expect to see...

"ShouldBeOK99 is a match"

"Should_Fail_match77 is not a match"

Thanks in Advance.