problems with eregi_replace()

[jowatkins]

Hi,

Sorry if this is an unnecessary post, I've read VBzoom's posts but still couldn't get this to work.

I have an address list on a server but there is a possibility that three different email addresses could be used to route through the same server. Because I use the email address to join at least one query I need to be sure that the same email address is used each time for a particular site. I thought the eregi_replace() function would do the trick, but it doesn't seem to be working.

here's my code:

if (ereg("address1$", $address))
{
	echo "eregi_replace(\"address1\", \"address2\", $address)";
}

Thanks

[Weedpacket]

What is it doing instead? Anything?

What the code you've given does (just checking to see if it's what's intended):

1. Does the line $address end with 'address1'?

2. If it does, replace 'address1' (whether in upper or lower case) with 'address2' and echo the result.

Note that this doesn't change $address at all.

One thing that should be noted: '.' has a special meaning in regular expressions, so something will have to be done about these in the email address.

$address1=preg_quote('whatever address1 is supposed to be'); // preg_quote() makes sure that '.' is
$address2=preg_quote('whatever address2 is supposed to be'); //  handled properly.

if(substr($address,-strlen($address1))==$address1)
{
    echo preg_replace("/$address1/i",$address2,$address);
}

Will have the same effect and do without the ereg_* functions.

If $address1 and $address2 are always in lower case and you don't need to worry about uppercase versions, then the preg_replace can go as well:

    echo str_replace($address1,$address2,$address);

and the calls to preg_quote() can be dropped.

If you know all this all ready, then whatever is not working is not in what you've given.

[jowatkins]

OK, here's the actual code:

eregi_replace("dcd.pcd.sony.co.uk+$", "dme.sony.co.uk+$", $email);

I realised that I had to escape the . in the address, which I've now done. I don't understand why it won't replace the email address, or why your example began with an echo. I've tried everything I could think of but it still won't work.

[Weedpacket]

Originally posted by jowatkins
....I don't understand why ... your example began with an echo.

My example began with an echo because yours did 🙂, but I think I know what's wrong, now.

eregi_replace() and other functions of that ilk don't modify their arguments. Instead, they return a modified version. I'm guessing what you really want is:

$email = eregi_replace('etc.','etc.',$email);

So that $email is suitably altered.

[jowatkins]

sorry for going on, I've found what the problem was:

first, in calling the function I had to correct it from:
correct_email($email);
to $email = correct_email($email);

Then, in the function, I wasn't returning the new value.
return $address;

Hope this helps anyone else who has the same problem.