Include the "minus-sign" into this regular expression, how?

Question

I have this regex:

  var alphaExp = /^[a-zA-ZåäöÅÄÖ\s]+$/;

This is for a name-field in a form validation.

I need to make it possible to type names like this "Anna-nicole" (note the minus sign). Currently the minus sign causes error.

I need to remake this regex so that a minus sign can be included in the name, preferrably make it so that the name also CANT start with a minus sign, or end with one. Only minus signs between "words, or names" should be allowed.

Anybody know how to do this?

Btw, it is javascript.

Thanks

Answer 1

You have to escape the minus sign using backslash.

var alphaExp = /^[a-zA-ZåäöÅÄÖ\s\-]+$/;

To stop them from using it in the beginning or the end, try something like this:

var alphaExp = /^[a-zA-ZåäöÅÄÖ\s]+[a-zA-ZåäöÅÄÖ\s\-]*[a-zA-ZåäöÅÄÖ\s]+$/;

Answer 2

/^[a-zA-ZåäöÅÄÖ\s]+[a-zA-ZåäöÅÄÖ\s\-]*[a-zA-ZåäöÅÄÖ\s\]+$/ 

should do it (there being a nasty edge case of a single character name, which this won't match. Is a single character name allowed or not?)

Answer 3

In a character class, a plain hyphen/minus needs to be first or last:

/^[-a-zA-ZåäöÅÄÖ\s]+$/
/^[a-zA-ZåäöÅÄÖ\s-]+$/

Negated character classes:

/^[^-a-zA-ZåäöÅÄÖ\s]+$/
/^[^a-zA-ZåäöÅÄÖ\s-]+$/

With close square bracket too, put the square bracket at the front and the hyphen at the end:

/^[]a-zA-ZåäöÅÄÖ\s-]+$/