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Example LotusScript: Splitting a text field apart at Tabs

Last updated: 12 Jul 2002

You can look for a tab character in a text sring using Chr$(9).

"Paul Bent" <paulbent@northwindit.co.uk> writes:

(The following script) loads parsed values into a passed in array and returns it to the calling proc:

Public Function fSplitLineByTabs(Byval strLine As String, _
astrData() As String) As Integer
        
 '--- Given a tab delimited string, parses it into "fields"
 '--- and loads them in an array
 '--- Author: Paul Bent, Nothwind IT Systems, 14-Apr-2001
        
 '--- Parameters
 '      [In]
 '      strLine: the string from which to parse the field values
 '      [In/Out]
 '      astrData: array to load the field values into
        
 '--- Return value
 '      returns the number of field names placed in the array
        
 Dim intP1 As Integer                   'Position in string
 Dim intP2 As Integer                   'Position in string
 Dim intP3 As Integer                   'Position in string
 Dim intC1 As Integer                   'Array index
 
        
 'Initialize the parameter passed in by reference
 Erase astrData
        
 'Check strLine is not null
 If Len(strLine) = 0 Then Exit Function
        
 'Parse the field names
 intP1 = 1
 Do While Instr(intP1, strLine, Chr$(9)) > 0
  'Size the array
   Redim Preserve astrData(0 To intC1)
   intC1 = intC1 + 1
  'Get the next tab char
  intP2 = Instr(intP1, strLine, Chr$(9))
  If intP2 > 0 Then
  'Get the following tab character
   intP3 = Instr(intP2 + 1, strLine, Chr$(9))
   If intP3 > 0 Then
   'If there's another tab char then parse the text between them
    astrData(intC1) = Mid$(strLine, intP2 + 1, intP3 - intP2 - 1)
   Else
    'Last field in the string
    astrData(intC1) = Right$(strLine(Len(strLine) - intP2)
    Exit Do
   End If
   'Reposition the starting point in the input string
   intP1 = intP2 + 1
 Loop
        
 'Return value
 fSplitLineByTabs = intC1
        
End Function

Then call it from your sub as follows:

Dim intC1 As Integer
Dim astrData() As String
If fSplitLineByTabs(strToBeSplit, astrData) Then
 For intC1 = Lbound(astrData) To Ubound(astrData)
  'Print the values to the Output pane
  Print astrData(intC1)
 Next
End If