Online PHP editor | refs for 5ceZt

<?php $strings = ['This is. a.. test...', 'This is a........... test.', '...This is. a.. ..test', 'This is a test', 'This. is... a. test.' ]; foreach ($strings as $string) { if (preg_match('~(?<!\.)\.{3}(?!\.)~', $string)) { echo "Yes, found an occurrence of not more than 3 dots in a row ($string)"; } else { echo "Nope, no occurrence of exactly 3 dots in a row ($string)"; } echo "\n"; }