Your regex does match the empty string, which it should not from your descriptions.

My mistake in wording the question. I've updated the post.

I like your alternative suggestion too, but as you already suspected, it is not much simpler anyway.
-- 
Ronald Fischer <ynnor@mm.st>

In reply to Re^2: Ideas to improve this regexp? by rovf
in thread Ideas to improve this regexp? by rovf

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