Template:Constraint:Format

Format: value must be formatted using this pattern (PCRE syntax).
{{{pattern}}}

Exceptions are possible as rare values may exist. Exceptions can be specified using exception to constraint (P2303).
List of violations of this constraint: Database reports/Constraint violations/Constraint:Format#Format

Template documentation

If a string also includes leading or trailing whitespaces, non printable characters, %20 marks, etc, the report will list the string as incorrectly formatted.

Constraints are described using a form of regular expression.

This template categorizes talk pages into Category:Properties with format constraints.

Usage

{{Constraint:Format|pattern=}}

Sample:

• Two digits: {{Constraint:Format|pattern=\d\d}}
• Two digits or more digits, the first one not being a zero {{Constraint:Format|pattern=[1-9]\d+}}

White space

Do not include spaces!

• Good: {{Constraint:Format|pattern=\d\d}}
• Bad: {{Constraint:Format|pattern= \d\d }}

Special formats

If the pattern includes curly braces or pipe ("|"), it needs to be included in nowiki tags.

Samples:

• {{Constraint:Format|pattern=<nowiki>\d{1,4}</nowiki>}}
• {{Constraint:Format|pattern=<nowiki>(tt|nm|ch|co)\d\d\d\d\d\d\d</nowiki>}}

Common values

only digits

{{Constraint:Format|pattern=<nowiki>\d+</nowiki>}}

lowercase letters, digits or a hyphen (dash)

{{Constraint:Format|pattern=<nowiki>[a-z0-9\-]+</nowiki>}}

no spaces; no slashes

{{Constraint:Format|pattern=<nowiki>[^\s\/]+</nowiki>}}

See also

• Template:Constraint

External tools

• Regex debugger
• Explain RegEx