Validate a SharePoint list column with regular expression

Question

I have a list. I want add a column for list with this format :

XX-XXXX

How to set this Validate for column?

i use this link , but don't work for me.

Answer 1

You've got a few options.

1) JavaScript validation on form as shown in the link in your question.

It DOES work if done correctly and is probably the quickest way do this.

• Pro - Quick and easy and allows you to provide immediate feedback to user in OnBlur event.

• Cons - limited in what you can do (e.g. can't run server side code to check against another list) and easy to 'get around' e.g. via the DataSheet view.

2) A custom column that applies regular expression validation.

You can use/adapt one of these open source projects

• http://spregex.codeplex.com/

• http://sharepointregex.codeplex.com/

3) Write your own custom column.

More complex - but allows you to combine server side and client side validation.

• MSDN - Custom Field Types
• Creating a custom field type for SharePoint 2010

Answer 2

Though not as easy or powerful as regular expressions, standard Column Validation can use a rich selection of Excel-like string functions. For example...

<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;=IF(LEN([ColumnName])=7,IF(MID([ColumnName],3,1)="-"),TRUE,FALSE),FALSE)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;-or-<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;=(LEN([ColumnName])=7)+(MID([ColumnName],3,1)="-")=2

Some more complex examples are described at http://sharepointsolutions.com/sharepoint-help/blog/2011/12/how-to-use-or-type-options-in-sharepoint-2010-column-validation/