Input validation with regex

Question

I am trying to validate the PHP page input with regular expression but I am totally new here and need some assistance

<script>
    function addplaces()
    {

        valid=true;
        placename=document.getElementById("placename").value;

        city=document.getElementById("city").value;
        province=document.getElementById("province").value;
        country=document.getElementById("country").value;
        category=document.getElementById("category").value;
        placepicture=document.getElementById("placepicture").value;
        descp=document.getElementById("descp").value;


        if(placename=="" || preg_match("^[A-Z]'?[- a-zA-Z]( [a-zA-Z])*$", placename))
        {
            alert("Please Enter Place Name");
            document.getElementById("placename").focus();
            valid=false;
        }

        else if(city=="")
        {
            alert("Please Enter City Name");
            document.getElementById("city").focus();
            valid=false;
        }

        else if(province=="")
        {
            alert("Please Enter province Name");
            document.getElementById("province").focus();
            valid=false;
        }

        else if(country=="")
        {
            alert("Please Enter country Name");
            document.getElementById("country").focus();
            valid=false;
        }

        else if(category=="")
        {
            alert("Please Enter category Name");
            document.getElementById("category").focus();
            valid=false;
        }

        else if(placepicture=="")
        {
            alert("Please Enter place picture");
            document.getElementById("placepicture").focus();
            valid=false;
        }

        else if(descp=="")
        {
            alert("Please Enter Description");
            document.getElementById("descp").focus();
            valid=false;
        }

        return valid;
   }

</script>

I try to use preg_match(); but it does not work, please let me know where I am making a mistake.

Answer 1

preg_match is for PHP, that's why it doesn't work in your javascript code.

instead of preg_match("^[A-Z]'?[- a-zA-Z]( [a-zA-Z])*$" (you missed a ) here if you would programming in PHP)

use

var regex = new Regex( /^[A-Z]'?[- a-zA-Z]( [a-zA-Z])*$ );
if(regex.test(placename)) { ... }