def normalize(string, pattern=False, preserve_case=False):
    """
    Normalize input for comparison with other input
    :param string: The string to normalize
    :type  string: str

    :param pattern: Allow wildcard symbols for triggers
    :type  pattern: bool

    :param preserve_case: Normalize the message without casefolding
    :type  preserve_case: bool

    :rtype: str
    """
    regex = re.compile(r'([^\s\w\(\)\[\]\|\*#])+') if pattern else re.compile(r'([^\s\w]|_)+')

    if not isinstance(string, string_types):
        return ''

    # Case folding is not supported in Python2
    try:
        string = string.strip() if preserve_case else string.strip().casefold()
    except AttributeError:
        string = string.strip() if preserve_case else string.strip().lower()

    return regex.sub('', string)
Normalize input for comparison with other input
    :param string: The string to normalize
    :type  string: str

    :param pattern: Allow wildcard symbols for triggers
    :type  pattern: bool

    :param preserve_case: Normalize the message without casefolding
    :type  preserve_case: bool

    :rtype: str