Question

I am trying to extract phone numbers from a string in php using the preg_match_all() function. I know that this pattern '!\d+!' extracts all numbers. But i need it to do more.
The numbers i want to extract either start with 256 followed by 9 numbers or 078,077,071,079 followed by 8 numbers.
Thank you.

Answer 1

Try this:

\b(?:256\d{9}|07[17-9]\d{8})\b

Explanation:

<!--
\b(?:256\d{9}|07[17-9]\d{8})\b

Options: ^ and $ match at line breaks; free-spacing

Assert position at a word boundary «\b»
Match the regular expression below «(?:256\d{9}|07[17-9]\d{8})»
   Match either the regular expression below (attempting the next alternative only if this one fails) «256\d{9}»
      Match the characters “256” literally «256»
      Match a single digit 0..9 «\d{9}»
         Exactly 9 times «{9}»
   Or match regular expression number 2 below (the entire group fails if this one fails to match) «07[17-9]\d{8}»
      Match the characters “07” literally «07»
      Match a single character present in the list below «[17-9]»
         The character “1” «1»
         A character in the range between “7” and “9” «7-9»
      Match a single digit 0..9 «\d{8}»
         Exactly 8 times «{8}»
Assert position at a word boundary «\b»
-->