LEN Function

The LEN function is designed to return the length of a string expression.

Format

LEN(expr)

Parameter(s)

expr	An expression evaluating to a string whose length is returned.

Description

The LEN function reports the number of characters in a string. All blank spaces (including trailing blanks) are included in the calculation.

Example

To assign the variable LENGTH with the number of characters in the string STRING, the code would read:

LENGTH = LEN(STRING)

If STRING contains "HI, MOM", LENGTH contains 7. In the next application the NAMES string contains a list of names separated by commas (,). To replace a name, the substring assignment statement is used, but the LEN function is necessary to return the length of the field to be replaced.

CURR.NAME = FIELD( NAMES, ",", 2)

IF NEW.NAME <> "" THEN

BEG.COL = COL1( ) + 1

LENGTH = LEN( CURR.NAME )

NAMES[ BEG.COL, LENGTH ] = NEW.NAME

END