Left - VBScript

Left

Overview

The Left function in VB Script extracts a specified number of characters from the left side of a string. It is commonly used to retrieve portions of strings, trim leading whitespace, or extract substrings based on specified conditions.

Syntax

Left(string, length)

Parameters

• string: The input string from which characters are to be extracted.
• length: The number of characters to extract from the left side of the string.

Options/Flags

None

Examples

• Extracting the first 5 characters from a string:

Dim myString = "Hello, World!"
Dim result = Left(myString, 5)

• Trimming leading whitespace:

Dim myString = "   Hello, World!"
Dim result = Left(myString, Len(myString) - Trim(myString))

• Extracting characters based on a condition:

Dim myString = "1234567890"
Dim result = Left(myString, InStr(myString, "5"))

Common Issues

• Invalid length: If the specified length exceeds the length of the input string, the entire string is returned.
• Non-integer length: The length must be an integer. If a non-integer is provided, the result is undefined.

Integration

• Use Left in combination with other string functions, such as Right and Mid, to perform advanced string manipulation tasks.
• Integrate Left into loops or conditional statements to extract substrings based on dynamic conditions.

Related Commands

• Right: Extracts characters from the right side of a string.
• Mid: Extracts a specified number of characters from a specific position in a string.
• Trim: Removes leading and trailing whitespace from a string.