Trim Spaces from Beginning and end of Strings

[badkarma]

For what its worth, I also use a custom made trim, as follows (also employs / also you can use) left / right functions ...

Sub Left(left_mystr,left_length)
If left_mystr = "" Then Return
Return SubString (left_mystr,0, left_length)
End Sub
Sub Right(right_mystr,right_length)
If right_mystr = "" Then Return
Return SubString (right_mystr, StrLength (right_mystr) - right_length, right_length)
End Sub

Sub Trim(trim_str)
Do Until StrCompare(Left(trim_str,1)," ") <> 0
trim_str = SubString(trim_str,1,StrLength(trim_str)-1)
Loop
Do Until StrCompare(right(trim_str,1), " ") <> 0
trim_str = left(trim_str,StrLength(trim_str)-1)
Loop
Return trim_str
End Sub

I must admit though, processing time is an issue ... I load in a 16k Scott adams data format file (contains saved integers and strings) and, in the compiled version of my game it takes about :

app compiled for and running on PC 0.5 - 1 second
app compiled on and running on ppc (rw6815) 10 seconds

... to load the data file into variables ...

Perhaps indeed the compiler can be tuned for better string manipulation?

I am now in the process of removing my trim / left / right functions (mid already removed) in place of the native str functions of b4p to see if this helps any as my original functions were used to a) help me converting my app from vb (convenient at the time and b) learning to use the foreign (to me) strindexof / substring etc ...

[badkarma]

Interestingly, I have just replaced my trim function with abastiens trim function, and it has shaved 2 seconds off the compiled ppc versions loading time (down now to 8 seconds from previous 10...) compiler obviously does not like jumping around functions which fiddle with strings too much when compiled and running on ppc...

[agraham]

Try this small StringsEx library. It implements the native .NET whitespace Trim() method (amongst others) and so should be a lot faster. Should work with .NET 1.0 and 2.0 and on device and desktop. Sometime I'll write a help file and post it in the libraries forum but the included demo makes it obvious how to use it and what methods are included.

[agraham]

Hugely enhanced StringEx library version 1.1 now posted, together with with a help file, in the libraries thread. http://www.basic4ppc.com/forum/showthread.php?p=10957