Q120098: INFO: Two Ways to Search & Remove Characters from a Text String

Article: Q120098
Product(s): Microsoft FoxPro
Version(s): MACINTOSH:2.5b,2.5c,2.6a; MS-DOS:2.5,2.5a,2.5b,2.6,2.6a; UNIX:2.6; WINDOWS:2.5,2.5a,2.5
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbcode
Last Modified: 30-DEC-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, versions 3.0, 5.0, 6.0 
- Microsoft FoxPro for Windows, versions 2.5, 2.5a, 2.5b, 2.6, 2.6a 
- Microsoft FoxPro for MS-DOS, versions 2.5, 2.5a, 2.5b, 2.6, 2.6a 
- Microsoft FoxPro for Macintosh, versions 2.5b, 2.5c, 2.6a 
- Microsoft FoxPro for UNIX, version 2.6 
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SUMMARY
=======

You can delete characters from a text string in a memory variable or database
field. You can use the FoxPro SUBSTR(), ATC(), and STRTRAN() functions to search
a text string for a particular value and replace it with another.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Method One: Use SUBSTR() and ATC() Functions
--------------------------------------------

You can use the ATC() and SUBSTR() functions to eliminate unwanted characters
from database fields and memory variables.

For example, look at the following code:

  a="123.45"
  y=SUBSTR(a,1,ATC(".",a)-1)+SUBSTR(a,ATC(".",a)+1)
  b="123 45"
  y=SUBSTR(b,1,ATC(" ",b)-1)+SUBSTR(b,ATC(" ",b)+1)

The variables a and b contain the text strings "123.45" and "123 45"
respectively. The code removes the period (.) and the blank space from the
variables.

The SUBSTR() function parses the variable into separate pieces based on the value
returned by the ATC() function. The ATC() function searches for a string in a
variable or field and returns the numeric position of the first character in the
string if it is found. If the ATC() function can't locate the string, it returns
zero (0).

By combining the SUBSTR() and ATC() functions, you can construct complex
statements to alter data in numerous ways.

Method Two: Use STRTRAN() Function
----------------------------------

You can use the STRTRAN() function to search and replace characters within a text
string using a single command. The following example code shows you how to use
STRTRAN() to remove an unwanted period (.) from a text string:

  x="123.4567"
  y=strtran(x,".","")
  ? y  && The variable y now contains "1234567" as a text string.

By default, STRTRAN() looks for all occurrences of the second parameter listed in
the function. By adding a numeric value in the third parameter, you can force
the function to ignore earlier instances of a character. By adding a fourth
numeric parameter, you can control the number of occurrences the function
replaces.

The following example code shows you how to remove the second period from a text
string while preserving the first occurrence:

  x="123.4567.8910"
  y=strtran(x,".","",2)
  ? y

The variable y returns "123.45678910" as a text string.

REFERENCES
==========

Microsoft FoxPro Commands & Functions 1.02 pp. C4-17; C4-191; C4-189
Microsoft FoxPro Commands & Functions 2.00 pp. C3-156; C3-870; C3-866
Microsoft FoxPro Language Reference 2.5x and 2.60 pp. L3-218; L3-1059; L3-1055

Additional query words: VFoxWin FoxUnix FoxMac FoxDos FoxWin

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Keywords          : kbcode 
Technology        : kbHWMAC kbOSMAC kbVFPsearch kbAudDeveloper kbFoxproSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbFoxPro250bMac kbFoxPro260aMac kbFoxPro250cMac kbFoxPro250DOS kbFoxPro250aDOS kbFoxPro250bDOS kbFoxPro260DOS kbFoxPro260aDOS kbFoxPro260UNIX kbFoxPro260 kbFoxPro250 kbFoxPro250a kbFoxPro250b kbFoxPro260a kbVFP300 kbVFP500 kbVFP600
Version           : MACINTOSH:2.5b,2.5c,2.6a; MS-DOS:2.5,2.5a,2.5b,2.6,2.6a; UNIX:2.6; WINDOWS:2.5,2.5a,2.5b,2.6,2.6a,3.0,5.0,6.0
Issue type        : kbinfo

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