How to use Regular Expressions with Google Analytics Reporting API V4 - google-analytics

Question

I am using the Google Client library for PHP to fetch data from Google Analytics using Google Analytics Reporting API version 4. The issue is that it is not accepting my regular expression. I have confirmed that the regular expression works in Google's Query Explorer. It is when I try to use it with the Google_Service_AnalyticsReporting_DimensionFilter() class that it does not work. The output shows Totals equals zero meaning that no records were returned. Please take a look at the code below:
function getReport($analytics)
{
// Replace with your view ID, for example XXXX.
$VIEW_ID = $this->viewId;
// Create the DateRange object.
$dateRange = new Google_Service_AnalyticsReporting_DateRange();
$dateRange->setStartDate($this->startDate);
$dateRange->setEndDate($this->endDate);
// Create the Metrics object.
$sessions = new Google_Service_AnalyticsReporting_Metric();
$sessions->setExpression($this->metrics);
$sessions->setAlias($this->metricAlias);
//Create the Dimensions object.
$pagePath = new Google_Service_AnalyticsReporting_Dimension();
$pagePath->setName("ga:pagePath");
// Create Dimension Filter 1, Must use: =~
$dimensionFilter1 = new Google_Service_AnalyticsReporting_DimensionFilter();
$dimensionFilter1->setDimensionName("ga:pagePath");
$dimensionFilter1->setOperator('REGEXP');
$dimensionFilter1->setExpressions('27-of-the-most-beautiful-small-towns-to-visit-in-europe');
$dimensionFilter1->setNot(FALSE);
// Create Dimension Filter 2, Must use: !~
$dimensionFilter2 = new Google_Service_AnalyticsReporting_DimensionFilter();
$dimensionFilter2->setDimensionName("ga:pagePath");
$dimensionFilter2->setOperator('REGEXP');
$dimensionFilter2->setExpressions('\/.*?\/[0-9]+');
$dimensionFilter2->setNot(TRUE);
// Create Dimension Filter 3, Must use !~
$dimensionFilter3 = new Google_Service_AnalyticsReporting_DimensionFilter();
$dimensionFilter3->setDimensionName("ga:pagePath");
$dimensionFilter3->setOperator('REGEXP');
$dimensionFilter3->setExpressions('\/.*?\/images/images');
$dimensionFilter3->setNot(TRUE);
// Create the DimensionFilterClauses
$dimensionFilterClause = new Google_Service_AnalyticsReporting_DimensionFilterClause();
$dimensionFilterClause->setFilters([$dimensionFilter1, $dimensionFilter2, $dimensionFilter3]);
// Create the ReportRequest object.
$request = new Google_Service_AnalyticsReporting_ReportRequest();
$request->setViewId($VIEW_ID);
$request->setDateRanges($dateRange);
$request->setMetrics([$sessions]);
$request->setDimensions([$pagePath]);
$request->setDimensionFilterClauses([$dimensionFilterClause]);
$request->setIncludeEmptyRows(false);
$body = new Google_Service_AnalyticsReporting_GetReportsRequest();
$body->setReportRequests([$request]);
return $analytics->reports->batchGet($body);
}
Is this code not correct?
// Create Dimension Filter 1.
$dimensionFilter = new Google_Service_AnalyticsReporting_DimensionFilter();
$dimensionFilter->setDimensionName("ga:pagePath");
$dimensionFilter->setOperator('REGEXP');
$dimensionFilter->setExpressions('ga:PagePath !~ \/.*?\/[0-9]+');

Answer 1

Yes. There is mistake in code. You should not include dimension name i.e. ga:pagePath in setExpression method.
I assume you are trying to add Does not match Regular Expression operator in filter.
So your code should be like this:
$dimensionFilter = new Google_Service_AnalyticsReporting_DimensionFilter();
$dimensionFilter->setDimensionName("ga:pagePath");
$dimensionFilter->setOperator('REGEXP');
$dimensionFilter->setExpressions('\/.*?\/[0-9]+');
$dimensionFilter->setNot(TRUE);
See whether it works or not.