Seeking php function to strip invalid characters from string

[RJ]

I'm looking for the most efficient function that I can give a string and have it return the same string without the invalid characters. Its for a domain related application so only alphanumeric and hyphens are valid.

Example:
$string = cleanstring("test_ing"); # returns "testing"
$string = cleanstring("t@e#s%t i*n^g"); # returns "testing"
$string = cleanstring("test-ing"); # returns "test-ing"

Suggestions?

 

[Peter]

wouldnt you just be as well to do :-

$domain_name = preg_replace('/[^a-zA-Z0-9/-]/','',$domain_name);

 

[RJ]

wouldnt you just be as well to do :-

$domain_name = preg_replace('/[^a-zA-Z0-9/-]/','',$domain_name);

That's what I needed. Thanks Peter!

 

[Peter]

no probs -RJ- glad to be of assistance.

 

[RJ]

I'm getting this error

Warning: Unknown modifier '-' in /script.php on line 85

Using this line
$domain_name = preg_replace('/[^a-zA-Z0-9/-]/','',$domain_name);

 

[PoorDoggie]

are the variables right? You had $string in your first post, but now it is $domain_name - is this right?

 

[RJ]

Variable name shouldn't matter, but my actual code is

$sld = preg_replace('/[^a-zA-Z0-9/-]/','',$sld);

I think I just need a refresher on regular expressions.

 

[PoorDoggie]

sorry can't help you then. I just use cleanstring() :lol:

 

[gamex]

It seems that if you remove the / before the -, the error goes away, but I dont know if thats still what you want. I never really got the hang of reg exps so sorry if that wasnt what you were looking for

 

[Peter]

yes my bad I escaped the - when it wasnt needed. RJ you can just delete the / before the - and it will work

Poordoggie cleanstring() is not an in built php function but I presume you mean

function cleanString($wild) {
   return ereg_replace("[^[:alnum:]+]","",$wild);
}

which is in a note by one of the users at php.net