perl regex from AS

Scripting Forums AppleScript | Mac OS X
#1

Hi.
I’m trying to do something like this:

Put a string into variable inputText via dialog display.
Then use a do shell script to call perl regex and check if inputText is characters only
If it is, display dialog OK. else NOT OK.

I have no idea how to use variable inputText in do shell script.

Help me please.

Have a nice day.

#2

It depends. What you want to do after something happens. This one errors when a character is not an alphabet.


property a : "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"
--
display dialog "Enter whatever:" default answer "something"
set user_input to text returned of result
repeat with this_char in user_input
	if (contents of this_char) is not in a then
		beep 3
		error "bad character"
	end if
end repeat

gl,

#3

Thanks for help
To tell the truth I want to check measurement units in InDesign.
I thought regex may help.
For example. I have display dialog and I can put there anything. I want check if it is millimeter or inch or point or pica point.
So I want to check this via regex and if there is a “mm” or " mm" or “in” or etc. then a script make a conversion to this unit.

I don’t know how to use my variable from AS in regex.

#4

AppleScript has conversion units. Not too many post questions about it.

#5

Thanks for clue, but it doesn’t solve my input text validation problem via regex :slight_smile:

I need to check if text contains or not a unit. When it is: “12 mm”, “12mm”, "12 mm " then it’s ok, but “12 mm d23” then it should be entered again.

#6

Here’s some info:

http://developer.apple.com/documentation/AppleScript/Conceptual/AppleScriptLangGuide/AppleScript.39.html

gl,

#7

Thanks for clue, but it doesn’t solve my input text validation problem via regex :slight_smile:

I need to check if text contains or not a unit. When it is: “12 mm”, “12mm”, "12 mm " then it’s ok, but “12 mm d23” then it should be entered again.

#8

Here’s some info:

http://developer.apple.com/documentation/AppleScript/Conceptual/AppleScriptLangGuide/AppleScript.39.html

gl,

#9

There is no pica point or point, but there is no problem for now.
Now i want to use regex to validate string via applescript :slight_smile:

#10

Oh, I see what you’re saying. You should use AppleScriptStudio. Getting user input takes a lot o work sometimes. Instead use the ui and you can restrict what type of data they enter.

gl,

#11

Are you saying that “mm n” where n is some number is the only allowable string?

If so, you just need to sheck if it starts with "mm " and the rest of the text is an integer.

gl,