I have an idea to write script that produces html-forms dynamically. It's primarily used for simple blogging (web blog) system for users from whom i cannot require too much knowledge about that sort of things, they just want to get it done. Hopefully quick too.

Getting few regular expressions right has been difficult. Element can have definition and alternative definition, both are been shown on the script produced form. Here's how i define the form elements inside the script: 

# three text inputs, each with a size 30 tag
form('input', 'text', 'user_name:Name', '30', 'user_email:Email|format
+ user@domain.com', '30', 'user_title:Topic', '30');

# textarea element, size 30 cols x 10 rows
form('textarea', 'user_message:Feedback', '30x10');

# select element, name 'city', four options
form('select:sort', 'city:City', 'Tampere', 'Helsinki', 'Espoo', 'Turk
+u');

# input checkbox
form('input', 'checkbox', 'reply|waiting for answer?');

# input submit
form('input', 'submit', 'send');

[download]
So bits and pieces like this:

formElement:definition|Alternative definition

I cannot seem to get regular expressions done that could separete this kind of strings. The first one always returns true? I've tried this way: 

sub split {
my %key;
if ($_[0] =~ /^(.+?):(.+?)$/) {

        $key{'name'} = $1;
        $key{'definition'} = $2;
        $key{'altdefinition'} = '';

} elsif ($_[0] =~ /^(.+?)\|(.+?)$/) {

        $key{'name'} = $1;
        $key{'altdefinition'} = $2;
        $key{'definition'} = '';

} elsif ($_[0] =~ /^(.+?):(.+?)\|(.+?)$/) {

        $key{'name'} = $1;
        $key{'definition'} = $2;
        $key{'altdefinition'} = $3;
}
return %key;
}

[download]
What characters should i choose to be delimeters, and how could this be made "foolproof"?

In reply to Getting regular expression right by mellin

Title:
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