Microsoft KB Archive/210103

= ACC2000: How to Strip Extra Characters from a String =

Article ID: 210103

Article Last Modified on 10/11/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Access 2000 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q210103



Moderate: Requires basic macro, coding, and interoperability skills.

This article applies to a Microsoft Access database (.mdb) and to a Microsoft Access project (.adp).



SUMMARY
This article shows you how to create a custom function to strip extra characters from a string. This function is useful in a situation where the value in a field contains too many spaces between names or has other formatting problems.

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied. This includes, but is not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language that is being demonstrated and with the tools that are used to create and to debug procedures. Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific requirements.



MORE INFORMATION
To create the custom function to strip extra characters from a string, follow these steps:   Create a module and type the following line in the Declarations section if it is not already there: Option Explicit   Type the following procedure: Function StripExtraChars(PassedStr, RemoveExtraChar$) On Local Error GoTo StripExtraChars_Err Dim i As Integer, GotChar As Integer Dim HoldStr As String, HoldChar As String

' Exit if passed value is Null. If IsNull(PassedStr) Then Exit Function ' Trim extra characters from passed string. PassedStr = Trim$(PassedStr)

' Cycle through string and remove extra ' string characters specified in the ' RemoveExtraChar value. For i = 1 To Len(PassedStr) HoldChar = Mid$(PassedStr, i, 1) If HoldChar = RemoveExtraChar Then If GotChar = False Then GotChar = True HoldStr = HoldStr & HoldChar End If     Else GotChar = False End If

If Not GotChar Then HoldStr = HoldStr & HoldChar End If

Next i

StripExtraChars = HoldStr

StripExtraChars_End: Exit Function

StripExtraChars_Err: MsgBox Error$ Resume StripExtraChars_End End Function

  To test this function, type the following line in the Immediate window, and then press ENTER: ?StripExtraChars(" My    Test    String   ", Chr$(32)) Note that the string passed to the StripExtraChars function returns "My Test String." The RemoveExtraChar$ variable passed into the function uses the Chr$ ASCII code equivalent of a space. 

