Deprecated: Function ereg_replace() is deprecated

[chriscrowe43]

Im getting an error.
Deprecated: Function ereg_replace() is deprecated in (site root) /wi_class_files/automakeLinks.php on line 26

i have a pageing calling on a file containing this code.
(lines 22-30) automakelinks.php

class autoActiveLink {
function makeActiveLink($originalString){

$newString = ereg_replace("[[:alpha:]]+://[^<>[:space:]][[:alnum:]/]","<ahref=\"\\0\" target=\"_blank\">\\0</a>", $originalString);
return $newString;
}
}
?>

This error is showing up when ever i post a "blab" on the profile page. If i go into the database and delete the blab and refresh the webpage the error goes away. I know very little about php but have managed to make it this far. Please Please help me fix this. I believe its the last obsticle in my way from having any major building from being finished aside from tweeking appearance of the pages. thank you again for your help!1

[misson]

There's a previous thread on ereg deprecation. Start with the information there (all of it), and post back here if you need more help.

[Dead-i]

The alternative to ereg_replace is preg_replace:

http://php.net/manual/en/function.preg-replace.php