
TRIM
The TRIM function returns a character string that contains the characters in the argument with leading spaces, trailing spaces, or both, removed.
The function type depends on the argument
type as follows:
Argument type | Function type |
---|---|
Alphabetic | Alphanumeric |
Alphanumeric | Alphanumeric |
National | National |
- argument-1
- Must be a data item of class alphabetic, alphanumeric, or national.
The returned value is:
- If LEADING is specified, the returned value is a character string that consists of the characters in argument-1 beginning from the leftmost character position that does not contain a space character through the rightmost character position.
- If TRAILING is specified, the returned value is a character string that consists of the characters in argument-1 beginning from the leftmost character position through the rightmost character position that does not contain a space character.
- If neither LEADING nor TRAILING is specified, the returned value is a character string that consists of the characters in argument-1 beginning from the leftmost character position that does not contain a space character through the rightmost character position that does not contain a space character.
- If argument-1 contains all spaces or argument-1 is of length zero, the returned value is of length zero.
Examples
- FUNCTION TRIM(" Hello, world! ", LEADING) returns "Hello, world! "
- FUNCTION TRIM(" Hello, world! ", TRAILING) returns " Hello, world!"
- FUNCTION TRIM(" Hello, world! ") returns "Hello, world!"
- FUNCTION TRIM(" ") returns ""
- FUNCTION TRIM("") returns ""
