regex not matching high end

[Anatase]

if(!($input2 =~ /[a-zA-Z]{4,12}/))
{
print "try the input again\n";
Usernamesub();
}

aaa - does not match so steps in
aaaa - match so steps past
aaaaaaaaaaaaa - 13+ should step in - but instead steps past

I'm using active states perl 5.8 it seems.

 

[Anno Siegel]

if(!($input2 =~ /[a-zA-Z]{4,12}/))
{
print "try the input again\n";
Usernamesub();
}

aaa - does not match so steps in
aaaa - match so steps past
aaaaaaaaaaaaa - 13+ should step in - but instead steps past

No. There *are* 12 characters in "aaaaaaaaaaaaa", and the regex matches
them.

To get the behavior you expect you must anchor the regex on both ends:

/^[a-zA-Z]{4,12}$/

Anno

 

[John Bokma]

if(!($input2 =~ /[a-zA-Z]{4,12}/))
{
print "try the input again\n";
Usernamesub();
}

aaa - does not match so steps in
aaaa - match so steps past
aaaaaaaaaaaaa - 13+ should step in - but instead steps past

because it matches, it contains at least 12 a's.

/^[a-zA-Z]{4,12}$/

is probably what you want, at least 4, max 12 letters.

Also, if(!...) { is often more readable written as unless () {

 

[Chris Mattern]

if(!($input2 =~ /[a-zA-Z]{4,12}/))
{
print "try the input again\n";
Usernamesub();
}

aaa - does not match so steps in
aaaa - match so steps past
aaaaaaaaaaaaa - 13+ should step in - but instead steps past

Well, of course it does. The string has twelve "a"s in it.
It has some more "a"s after that, but that doesn't change the
fact that it has twelve "a"s.

I'm using active states perl 5.8 it seems.

--
Christopher Mattern

"Which one you figure tracked us?"
"The ugly one, sir."
"...Could you be more specific?"