preg_last_error Returns the error code of the last PCRE regex execution &reftitle.description; intpreg_last_error Returns the error code of the last PCRE regex execution. )*[!?]/', 'foobar foobar foobar'); if (preg_last_error() == PREG_BACKTRACK_LIMIT_ERROR) { print 'Backtrack limit was exhausted!'; } ?> ]]> &example.outputs; &reftitle.returnvalues; Returns one of the following constants (explained on their own page): PREG_NO_ERROR PREG_INTERNAL_ERROR PREG_BACKTRACK_LIMIT_ERROR (see also pcre.backtrack_limit) PREG_RECURSION_LIMIT_ERROR (see also pcre.recursion_limit) PREG_BAD_UTF8_ERROR PREG_BAD_UTF8_OFFSET_ERROR (since PHP 5.3.0)