ereg? Anti-Spam help!

[rlhanson]

I am using a php form processor and would like to stop web addresses from being input into the text fields.

A couple examples of what I have in place and general syntax:

 if (strlen($_POST['comments']) > 255 )
{
header("Location: http://www.websitename.com/error.php");
exit;
}
if (! ereg('[A-Za-z0-9_-]+\@[A-Za-z0-9_-]+\.[A-Za-z0-9_-]+', $_POST['vis_email']))
{
header("Location: http://www.websitename.com/error.php");
exit;
} 
  

I've tried a couple of different things (which I haven't added above) but can't seem to get the right combination of single quotes, quotes, or brackets.
Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!!!!!!!!!!

[rlhanson]

I've got this working:

 /*ANTISPAM WEBSITES*/
if (ereg('^www\\.[A-Za-z0-9_-]+\\.[A-Za-z0-9]+', $_POST['comments']))
{
header("Location: http://www.website.com/error.php");
exit;
}
if (ereg('^[A-Za-z0-9_-]+\\.[A-Za-z0-9]+', $_POST['comments']))
{
header("Location: http://www.website.com/error.php");
exit;
}
if (ereg('^http\\:\\/\\/www\\.[A-Za-z0-9_-]+\\.[A-Za-z0-9]+', $_POST['comments']))
{
header("Location: http://www.website.com/error.php");
exit;
}
if (ereg('^http\\:\\/\\/[A-Za-z0-9_-]+\\.[A-Za-z0-9]+', $_POST['comments']))
{
header("Location: http://www.website.com/error.php");
exit;
} 
  

How would I shorten this?

[jmarcv]

 /*ANTISPAM WEBSITES*/
if (ereg('^www\\.[A-Za-z0-9_-]+\\.[A-Za-z0-9]+', $_POST['comments']))
 $skipit=1;
if (ereg('^[A-Za-z0-9_-]+\\.[A-Za-z0-9]+', $_POST['comments']))
 $skipit=1;
if (ereg('^http\\:\\/\\/www\\.[A-Za-z0-9_-]+\\.[A-Za-z0-9]+', $_POST['comments']))
 $skipit=1;
if (ereg('^http\\:\\/\\/[A-Za-z0-9_-]+\\.[A-Za-z0-9]+', $_POST['comments']))
 $skipit=1;
if ($skipit) {
 header("Location: http://www.website.com/error.php");
 exit;
} 
  

The above shortens by using a flag if there is a match and redirecting in one place. This way if you change the error page it only happens in one place.

Note also I am using the short version of IF, where if you only execute ONE command, you dont need the brackets.

Shortening the REGEX -

 if (ereg('^[http\\:\\/\\/]*[www\\.]*[A-Za-z0-9_-]+\\.[A-Za-z0-9]+', $_POST['comments'])) 
  

I think this should work. Note the brackets. By putting a * after instead of + you indicate that it is an optional match.
Note, the ^ means search from the beginning of the comments field, so if the URL is not the first thing in comments, it will pass, so I am not sure you want it in there.

[rlhanson]

John-Marc!!!!!!!!!!!! Welcome back!

Thanks for the help - I'm trying this now.

Update: Your a gem - it works GREAT! Thank you so much!