Regular Expression for URL validation

lvnwfl

Hey all,
I'm looking for a regular expression to use with PHP (either ereg or preg_match) to validate a URL. I looked at regexlib.com and didn't find one that would work.

The catch is that I need one that will allow URL's with multiple subdomains (i.e. http://www.fs.fed.us) and for other wacky government stuff like that (aphi.usda.gov, eglin.af.mil, etc). It of course needs to allow for directories and files after the domain part too (sub.sub.domain.com/directory/anotherdirectory/file.php, domain.com/directory, etc.)

Does anybody have a regular expression that would do the trick or know where I could find one?

Thanks!

drawmack

http://www.php.net/ereg_replace

example 3

lvnwfl

That has almost got it - after testing I noticed it doesn't require the [url]http://[/url] or [url]https://[/url]

I'd modify it myself to include it but I don't know regex syntax very well.

BuzzLY

If you are coding PHP -- in other words, writing a program -- then I strongly suggest you roll up your sleeves and learn regexp. It really isn't that difficult. The last thing you really want is to use someone else's code, then try to figure out how the code works when you come back to it a month later.