xsd pattern not working with more than two regex separated by OR ( | ) -

i facing problem following xsd pattern ...

 <xsd:pattern value="\d+(,\d+)*(,[*])|\d+(,\d+)*|\d+(,[*])(,\d+)+" /> 

in above pattern want allow user enter following patterns only:

1,2,3 1,*,3 1,2,* 

but when try enter 1,2,* gives me following exception ...

unknown exception occurred while updating = input string: "*" 

i not see wrong expression can improved , doing might prevent error. fault might in way results of regular expression used, not regular expression itself.

the regular expression given in question \d+(,\d+)*(,[*])|\d+(,\d+)*|\d+(,[*])(,\d+)+.

testing in notepad++ v6.5.5 shows matches 3 example lines, expression not anchored start , end of line. adding 1 ^ , 1 $ not sufficient because of precedence of |.

using expressions matches lines:

^(\d+(,\d+)*(,[*])|\d+(,\d+)*|\d+(,[*])(,\d+)+)$ 

could use ^\d+(,\d+)*(,[*])$|^\d+(,\d+)*$|^\d+(,[*])(,\d+)+$ seems harder read , understand.

within regular expression

• the [*] matches 1 character , might better written \*.
• the (,[*]) matches , captures 2 character sequence ,*. there no point in capturing fixed in places. can replaced ,\* throughout.
• each alternative start \d+, factored out.
• the first 2 alternatives differ final `(,[*]) clause.

making these changes gives expression:

^\d+((,\d+)*(,\*)*|,\*(,\d+)+)$ 

the question shows patterns 2 commas regular expression matches lines multiple commas allows second or final value replaced *. original expression matches

1,2,3 1,*,3 1,2,* 1,2,3,4,5 1,*,3,4,5 1,2,3,*,* 1,2,3,4,* 

but not match

1,*,*,4,5 1,*,3,*,5 1,*,3,4,* 1,2,*,*,5 1,2,*,4,* 1,2,*,4,5 1,2,3,*,5 

to match given inputs 2 commas use:

^\d+,(\d+,\d+|\d+,\*|\*,\d+)$ 

to match string many numbers separated commas 1 (but not first one) replaced * use:

^\d+(,\d+)*(,\*)?(,\d+)*$ 

note ? in line above. means match 0 or 1 occurrence of preceding item. allows ,* occur once in string.