validation on name

[sfast]

My code shows me illegal input name even if I am entering just == abcdef

Can somebody please guide me where am I wrong?

extract($_POST);
// **** Validation for name */
if(!check_name($POST_['name'])){
 echo "Illegal input name";
 $error++; }
else
$userName = $POST_['name'] ;
} // end of process check 
function check_name($name)
{
$pattern = "/^[-A-Za-z]+$/"; 
 if (! preg_match($pattern, $name) ) {
  return false; }
 else
    return true;
}

Thanks

[sfast]

I got it working.
The problem was with POST syntax.

Thanks

[joelgreen]

Why do you need extract($_POST) if you access variables via $_POST array?

[eelixduppy]

Glad you got it sorted, sfast! :)

>> exract($_POST)

Not used here therefore it's not needed.