trimming ?

[Dave Cragg]

At 6:49 am -0700 21/8/02, Rob Cozens wrote:
>>>This is what I use:
>>>
>>>function trimText pText
>>>    put cr & tab & space into tTrimChars
>>>    repeat while char 1 of pText is in tTrimChars
>>>      delete char 1 of pText
>>>    end repeat
>>>    repeat while char -1 of pText is in tTrimChars
>>>      delete char -1 of pText
>>>    end repeat
>>>    return pText
>>>end trimText
>>
>>Another variation I use:
>>
>>function trim theText
>>    repeat for each word w in theText
>>      put w & space after temp
>>    end repeat
>>    delete last char of temp
>>    return temp
>>end trim
>
>Dave, Jacque, et al:
>
>If you're simultaneously stripping leading AND trailing spaces on a
>single line of text, can't you just use "get word 1 to -1 of
>theText"?

Nice one!

I guess I'm ruled by habit. However, by having a line such as:

put cr & tab & space into tTrimChars

it's very easy to modify behavior or create new functions, for 
example if you want to trim out other leading and trailing 
characters. (I'm a copy and paste person.)

Cheers
Dave