I am extracting a character in a Javascript string with:
var first = str.charAt(0);
and I would like to check whether it is a letter. Strangely, it does not seem like such functionality exists in Javascript. At least I cannot find it.
How can I test this?
I believe this plugin has the capabilities you seek: http://xregexp.com/plugins/ (github link: https://github.com/slevithan/xregexp)
With it you can simply match all unicode letters with \p{L}.
Read the header of this source file to see which categories it supports: http://xregexp.com/plugins/xregexp-unicode-categories.js
I don't believe there is a built-in function for that. But it's easy enough to write with a regex
function isLetter(str) {
return str.length === 1 && str.match(/[a-z]/i);
}
With respect to those special characters not being taken into account by simpler checks such as /[a-zA-Z]/.test(c), it can be beneficial to leverage ECMAScript case transformation (toUpperCase). It will take into account non-ASCII Unicode character classes of some foreign alphabets.
function isLetter(c) {
return c.toLowerCase() != c.toUpperCase();
}
NOTE: this solution will work only for most Latin, Greek, Armenian and Cyrillic scripts. It will NOT work for Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Hebrew and most other scripts.
This solution works with special characters too, for instance é, è, ê, ü, ö, à
Note: I posted the solution that uses global functions as it's probably the simplest to understand. But do look into "javascript module pattern" if you want better code (cleaner, easier to maintain and extend), see http://www.impressivewebs.com/my-current-javascript-design-pattern and also http://youtu.be/i_qE1iAmjFg?t=1m26s (presentation by Paul Irish).
var defaultDiacriticsRemovalap = [
{'base':'A', 'letters':'\u0041\u24B6\uFF21\u00C0\u00C1\u00C2\u1EA6\u1EA4\u1EAA\u1EA8\u00C3\u0100\u0102\u1EB0\u1EAE\u1EB4\u1EB2\u0226\u01E0\u00C4\u01DE\u1EA2\u00C5\u01FA\u01CD\u0200\u0202\u1EA0\u1EAC\u1EB6\u1E00\u0104\u023A\u2C6F'},
{'base':'AA','letters':'\uA732'},
{'base':'AE','letters':'\u00C6\u01FC\u01E2'},
{'base':'AO','letters':'\uA734'},
{'base':'AU','letters':'\uA736'},
{'base':'AV','letters':'\uA738\uA73A'},
{'base':'AY','letters':'\uA73C'},
{'base':'B', 'letters':'\u0042\u24B7\uFF22\u1E02\u1E04\u1E06\u0243\u0182\u0181'},
{'base':'C', 'letters':'\u0043\u24B8\uFF23\u0106\u0108\u010A\u010C\u00C7\u1E08\u0187\u023B\uA73E'},
{'base':'D', 'letters':'\u0044\u24B9\uFF24\u1E0A\u010E\u1E0C\u1E10\u1E12\u1E0E\u0110\u018B\u018A\u0189\uA779'},
{'base':'DZ','letters':'\u01F1\u01C4'},
{'base':'Dz','letters':'\u01F2\u01C5'},
{'base':'E', 'letters':'\u0045\u24BA\uFF25\u00C8\u00C9\u00CA\u1EC0\u1EBE\u1EC4\u1EC2\u1EBC\u0112\u1E14\u1E16\u0114\u0116\u00CB\u1EBA\u011A\u0204\u0206\u1EB8\u1EC6\u0228\u1E1C\u0118\u1E18\u1E1A\u0190\u018E'},
{'base':'F', 'letters':'\u0046\u24BB\uFF26\u1E1E\u0191\uA77B'},
{'base':'G', 'letters':'\u0047\u24BC\uFF27\u01F4\u011C\u1E20\u011E\u0120\u01E6\u0122\u01E4\u0193\uA7A0\uA77D\uA77E'},
{'base':'H', 'letters':'\u0048\u24BD\uFF28\u0124\u1E22\u1E26\u021E\u1E24\u1E28\u1E2A\u0126\u2C67\u2C75\uA78D'},
{'base':'I', 'letters':'\u0049\u24BE\uFF29\u00CC\u00CD\u00CE\u0128\u012A\u012C\u0130\u00CF\u1E2E\u1EC8\u01CF\u0208\u020A\u1ECA\u012E\u1E2C\u0197'},
{'base':'J', 'letters':'\u004A\u24BF\uFF2A\u0134\u0248'},
{'base':'K', 'letters':'\u004B\u24C0\uFF2B\u1E30\u01E8\u1E32\u0136\u1E34\u0198\u2C69\uA740\uA742\uA744\uA7A2'},
{'base':'L', 'letters':'\u004C\u24C1\uFF2C\u013F\u0139\u013D\u1E36\u1E38\u013B\u1E3C\u1E3A\u0141\u023D\u2C62\u2C60\uA748\uA746\uA780'},
{'base':'LJ','letters':'\u01C7'},
{'base':'Lj','letters':'\u01C8'},
{'base':'M', 'letters':'\u004D\u24C2\uFF2D\u1E3E\u1E40\u1E42\u2C6E\u019C'},
{'base':'N', 'letters':'\u004E\u24C3\uFF2E\u01F8\u0143\u00D1\u1E44\u0147\u1E46\u0145\u1E4A\u1E48\u0220\u019D\uA790\uA7A4'},
{'base':'NJ','letters':'\u01CA'},
{'base':'Nj','letters':'\u01CB'},
{'base':'O', 'letters':'\u004F\u24C4\uFF2F\u00D2\u00D3\u00D4\u1ED2\u1ED0\u1ED6\u1ED4\u00D5\u1E4C\u022C\u1E4E\u014C\u1E50\u1E52\u014E\u022E\u0230\u00D6\u022A\u1ECE\u0150\u01D1\u020C\u020E\u01A0\u1EDC\u1EDA\u1EE0\u1EDE\u1EE2\u1ECC\u1ED8\u01EA\u01EC\u00D8\u01FE\u0186\u019F\uA74A\uA74C'},
{'base':'OI','letters':'\u01A2'},
{'base':'OO','letters':'\uA74E'},
{'base':'OU','letters':'\u0222'},
{'base':'OE','letters':'\u008C\u0152'},
{'base':'oe','letters':'\u009C\u0153'},
{'base':'P', 'letters':'\u0050\u24C5\uFF30\u1E54\u1E56\u01A4\u2C63\uA750\uA752\uA754'},
{'base':'Q', 'letters':'\u0051\u24C6\uFF31\uA756\uA758\u024A'},
{'base':'R', 'letters':'\u0052\u24C7\uFF32\u0154\u1E58\u0158\u0210\u0212\u1E5A\u1E5C\u0156\u1E5E\u024C\u2C64\uA75A\uA7A6\uA782'},
{'base':'S', 'letters':'\u0053\u24C8\uFF33\u1E9E\u015A\u1E64\u015C\u1E60\u0160\u1E66\u1E62\u1E68\u0218\u015E\u2C7E\uA7A8\uA784'},
{'base':'T', 'letters':'\u0054\u24C9\uFF34\u1E6A\u0164\u1E6C\u021A\u0162\u1E70\u1E6E\u0166\u01AC\u01AE\u023E\uA786'},
{'base':'TZ','letters':'\uA728'},
{'base':'U', 'letters':'\u0055\u24CA\uFF35\u00D9\u00DA\u00DB\u0168\u1E78\u016A\u1E7A\u016C\u00DC\u01DB\u01D7\u01D5\u01D9\u1EE6\u016E\u0170\u01D3\u0214\u0216\u01AF\u1EEA\u1EE8\u1EEE\u1EEC\u1EF0\u1EE4\u1E72\u0172\u1E76\u1E74\u0244'},
{'base':'V', 'letters':'\u0056\u24CB\uFF36\u1E7C\u1E7E\u01B2\uA75E\u0245'},
{'base':'VY','letters':'\uA760'},
{'base':'W', 'letters':'\u0057\u24CC\uFF37\u1E80\u1E82\u0174\u1E86\u1E84\u1E88\u2C72'},
{'base':'X', 'letters':'\u0058\u24CD\uFF38\u1E8A\u1E8C'},
{'base':'Y', 'letters':'\u0059\u24CE\uFF39\u1EF2\u00DD\u0176\u1EF8\u0232\u1E8E\u0178\u1EF6\u1EF4\u01B3\u024E\u1EFE'},
{'base':'Z', 'letters':'\u005A\u24CF\uFF3A\u0179\u1E90\u017B\u017D\u1E92\u1E94\u01B5\u0224\u2C7F\u2C6B\uA762'},
{'base':'a', 'letters':'\u0061\u24D0\uFF41\u1E9A\u00E0\u00E1\u00E2\u1EA7\u1EA5\u1EAB\u1EA9\u00E3\u0101\u0103\u1EB1\u1EAF\u1EB5\u1EB3\u0227\u01E1\u00E4\u01DF\u1EA3\u00E5\u01FB\u01CE\u0201\u0203\u1EA1\u1EAD\u1EB7\u1E01\u0105\u2C65\u0250'},
{'base':'aa','letters':'\uA733'},
{'base':'ae','letters':'\u00E6\u01FD\u01E3'},
{'base':'ao','letters':'\uA735'},
{'base':'au','letters':'\uA737'},
{'base':'av','letters':'\uA739\uA73B'},
{'base':'ay','letters':'\uA73D'},
{'base':'b', 'letters':'\u0062\u24D1\uFF42\u1E03\u1E05\u1E07\u0180\u0183\u0253'},
{'base':'c', 'letters':'\u0063\u24D2\uFF43\u0107\u0109\u010B\u010D\u00E7\u1E09\u0188\u023C\uA73F\u2184'},
{'base':'d', 'letters':'\u0064\u24D3\uFF44\u1E0B\u010F\u1E0D\u1E11\u1E13\u1E0F\u0111\u018C\u0256\u0257\uA77A'},
{'base':'dz','letters':'\u01F3\u01C6'},
{'base':'e', 'letters':'\u0065\u24D4\uFF45\u00E8\u00E9\u00EA\u1EC1\u1EBF\u1EC5\u1EC3\u1EBD\u0113\u1E15\u1E17\u0115\u0117\u00EB\u1EBB\u011B\u0205\u0207\u1EB9\u1EC7\u0229\u1E1D\u0119\u1E19\u1E1B\u0247\u025B\u01DD'},
{'base':'f', 'letters':'\u0066\u24D5\uFF46\u1E1F\u0192\uA77C'},
{'base':'g', 'letters':'\u0067\u24D6\uFF47\u01F5\u011D\u1E21\u011F\u0121\u01E7\u0123\u01E5\u0260\uA7A1\u1D79\uA77F'},
{'base':'h', 'letters':'\u0068\u24D7\uFF48\u0125\u1E23\u1E27\u021F\u1E25\u1E29\u1E2B\u1E96\u0127\u2C68\u2C76\u0265'},
{'base':'hv','letters':'\u0195'},
{'base':'i', 'letters':'\u0069\u24D8\uFF49\u00EC\u00ED\u00EE\u0129\u012B\u012D\u00EF\u1E2F\u1EC9\u01D0\u0209\u020B\u1ECB\u012F\u1E2D\u0268\u0131'},
{'base':'j', 'letters':'\u006A\u24D9\uFF4A\u0135\u01F0\u0249'},
{'base':'k', 'letters':'\u006B\u24DA\uFF4B\u1E31\u01E9\u1E33\u0137\u1E35\u0199\u2C6A\uA741\uA743\uA745\uA7A3'},
{'base':'l', 'letters':'\u006C\u24DB\uFF4C\u0140\u013A\u013E\u1E37\u1E39\u013C\u1E3D\u1E3B\u017F\u0142\u019A\u026B\u2C61\uA749\uA781\uA747'},
{'base':'lj','letters':'\u01C9'},
{'base':'m', 'letters':'\u006D\u24DC\uFF4D\u1E3F\u1E41\u1E43\u0271\u026F'},
{'base':'n', 'letters':'\u006E\u24DD\uFF4E\u01F9\u0144\u00F1\u1E45\u0148\u1E47\u0146\u1E4B\u1E49\u019E\u0272\u0149\uA791\uA7A5'},
{'base':'nj','letters':'\u01CC'},
{'base':'o', 'letters':'\u006F\u24DE\uFF4F\u00F2\u00F3\u00F4\u1ED3\u1ED1\u1ED7\u1ED5\u00F5\u1E4D\u022D\u1E4F\u014D\u1E51\u1E53\u014F\u022F\u0231\u00F6\u022B\u1ECF\u0151\u01D2\u020D\u020F\u01A1\u1EDD\u1EDB\u1EE1\u1EDF\u1EE3\u1ECD\u1ED9\u01EB\u01ED\u00F8\u01FF\u0254\uA74B\uA74D\u0275'},
{'base':'oi','letters':'\u01A3'},
{'base':'ou','letters':'\u0223'},
{'base':'oo','letters':'\uA74F'},
{'base':'p','letters':'\u0070\u24DF\uFF50\u1E55\u1E57\u01A5\u1D7D\uA751\uA753\uA755'},
{'base':'q','letters':'\u0071\u24E0\uFF51\u024B\uA757\uA759'},
{'base':'r','letters':'\u0072\u24E1\uFF52\u0155\u1E59\u0159\u0211\u0213\u1E5B\u1E5D\u0157\u1E5F\u024D\u027D\uA75B\uA7A7\uA783'},
{'base':'s','letters':'\u0073\u24E2\uFF53\u00DF\u015B\u1E65\u015D\u1E61\u0161\u1E67\u1E63\u1E69\u0219\u015F\u023F\uA7A9\uA785\u1E9B'},
{'base':'t','letters':'\u0074\u24E3\uFF54\u1E6B\u1E97\u0165\u1E6D\u021B\u0163\u1E71\u1E6F\u0167\u01AD\u0288\u2C66\uA787'},
{'base':'tz','letters':'\uA729'},
{'base':'u','letters': '\u0075\u24E4\uFF55\u00F9\u00FA\u00FB\u0169\u1E79\u016B\u1E7B\u016D\u00FC\u01DC\u01D8\u01D6\u01DA\u1EE7\u016F\u0171\u01D4\u0215\u0217\u01B0\u1EEB\u1EE9\u1EEF\u1EED\u1EF1\u1EE5\u1E73\u0173\u1E77\u1E75\u0289'},
{'base':'v','letters':'\u0076\u24E5\uFF56\u1E7D\u1E7F\u028B\uA75F\u028C'},
{'base':'vy','letters':'\uA761'},
{'base':'w','letters':'\u0077\u24E6\uFF57\u1E81\u1E83\u0175\u1E87\u1E85\u1E98\u1E89\u2C73'},
{'base':'x','letters':'\u0078\u24E7\uFF58\u1E8B\u1E8D'},
{'base':'y','letters':'\u0079\u24E8\uFF59\u1EF3\u00FD\u0177\u1EF9\u0233\u1E8F\u00FF\u1EF7\u1E99\u1EF5\u01B4\u024F\u1EFF'},
{'base':'z','letters':'\u007A\u24E9\uFF5A\u017A\u1E91\u017C\u017E\u1E93\u1E95\u01B6\u0225\u0240\u2C6C\uA763'}
];
var diacriticsMap = {};
for (var i=0; i < defaultDiacriticsRemovalap.length; i++){
var letters = defaultDiacriticsRemovalap[i].letters.split("");
for (var j=0; j < letters.length ; j++){
diacriticsMap[letters[j]] = defaultDiacriticsRemovalap[i].base;
}
}
function removeDiacriticFromChar (char) {
return diacriticsMap[char] || char;
}
/*
* [1] Remove the accent, based on answer of https://stackoverflow.com/questions/990904/javascript-remove-accents-in-strings
* [2] Check if a to z character, using regex or unicode (your choice, here using regex)
*
*/
function isLetter(char) {
var charWithoutAccent = removeDiacriticFromChar(char); /* [1] */
return charWithoutAccent.match(/[a-z]/i); /* [2] */
}
console.log( "is 'u' is a letter? " + (isLetter('u') ? 'true' : 'false') );
console.log( "is 'ü' is a letter? " + (isLetter('ü') ? 'true' : 'false') );
console.log( "is 'à' is a letter? " + (isLetter('à') ? 'true' : 'false') );
console.log( "is 'ö' is a letter? " + (isLetter('ö') ? 'true' : 'false') );
console.log( "is 'ù' is a letter? " + (isLetter('ù') ? 'true' : 'false') );
console.log( "is 'é' is a letter? " + (isLetter('é') ? 'true' : 'false') );
console.log( "is 'é' is a letter? " + (isLetter('é') ? 'true' : 'false') );
console.log( "is 'ê' is a letter? " + (isLetter('ê') ? 'true' : 'false') );
I`m posting here because I didn't want to post a new question. Assuming there aren't any single character declarations in the code, you can eval() the character to cause an error and check the type of the character. Something like:
function testForLetter(character){
try{
//Variable declarations can't start with digits or operators
//If no error is thrown check for dollar or underscore. Those are the only nonletter characters that are allowed as identifiers
eval("let " + character + ";");
let regExSpecial = /[^\$_]/;
return regExSpecial.test(character);
}
catch(error){
return false;
}
}
testForLetter("!"); //returns false;
testForLetter("5"); //returns false;
testForLetter("ن"); //returns true;
testForLetter("_"); //returns false;
There is an old school method which we used in many languages while learning.
function isLetter(value) {
value = value.toUpperCase();
for (let i = 0; i < value.length; i++)
if (!(value[i] >= "A" && value[i] <= "Z")) return false;
return true;
}
For normal english Ascii code between 0 and 127 (Not for Chinese and other alphabets because supposedly you are not working in such)
if (((currentChar > '@')&&(currentChar < '[')) || ((currentChar > '`')&& (currentChar<'{')))
{
return true;
// It is an english alphabetical character(Uppercase for the first lot, // lowercase thethe second lot. We will have it
}
Please consult or google your Ascii table.
if( char.toUpperCase() != char.toLowerCase() ) will return true only in case of letter
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