<?php
$json = '{ "nickname": "#FF0000Nick#00FF00name" }';
$data = json_decode($json, true);
$garbledData = $data['nickname'];
// (?<firstHex>\#[A-F0-9]{6}) match and name the match 'firstHex' - look for a hash, then letters a-f or numbers 0-9, with a length of 6 characters
// (?<name>.+) match and name the match 'name' - look for absolutely any characters, any amount
// (?<secondHex>\#[A-F0-9]{6}) match and name the match 'secondHex' - look for a hash, then letters a-f or numbers 0-9, with a length of 6 characters
$regex = '/(?<firstHex>\#[A-F0-9]{6})(?<name>.+)(?<secondHex>\#[A-F0-9]{6})/';
preg_match($regex, $garbledData, $matches);
$firstHex = $matches['firstHex'];
$secondHex = $matches['secondHex'];
$name = $matches['name'];
echo $firstHex . "\n";
echo $secondHex . "\n";
echo $name . "\n";
Warning: PHP Startup: Unable to load dynamic library 'sodium.so' (tried: /usr/lib/php/8.3.5/modules/sodium.so (libsodium.so.23: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory), /usr/lib/php/8.3.5/modules/sodium.so.so (/usr/lib/php/8.3.5/modules/sodium.so.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory)) in Unknown on line 0
#FF0000
#00FF00
Nick