With this sponsored post, I wanted to talk about a HOT tool!!! If you're involved with programming or server administration you've been exposed to Regular Expressions. Regular Expressions are a power method of finding 'matches'. This is vital for validation functions or to perform complex string searches.
Regular Expressions can be extremely simple, and can get incredibly complex at the same time. Normally, when I'm testing a regular expression pattern, I usually create a simple test script using ereg() or preg() to give me a boolean true or false return. Once I've thoroughly tested the pattern, I'll include it within my function within the application.
Visiting the Regular Expression Tool and Library , this procedure is quickly done for me. This is a great, simple web site that does a few things for you. First it can test multiple conditions against your pattern. Secondly, the site offers quick resources and regular expression resources.
The Regular Expression library is a great way to get your initial pattern created. They have pre-defined patterns ranging from E-Mail address validation to Phone Number and URL validation.
The site is nicely programmed. It's clean and uses some nice AJaX functionality that gives a quick and responsive user experience.
I've added this bookmark to my development tools folder and will definitely be back. I encourage anyone using regular expressions on a daily basis to check this out.
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