Left function

Applies to: TBM Studio 12.0 and later

Returns a specified number of characters from a string (including white spaces), starting from the left.

Where to use

This function can be used in:
  • Data sets
  • Calculated metrics and reports with metric columns
  • Formula columns in report tables
  • Dynamic Text

Syntax

Left(string[,count])

Arguments

string

Any string. You can use a column name.

count

An integer specifying the number of characters to be returned. If this argument is not specified, it defaults to 1. If this argument evaluates to a label or string, the system will try to convert it to a number. If it cannot, then the value will be zero.

Return type

String

Examples

Example function Return value
=Left("123456",3) 123
=Left("123456",1) 1
=Left("123456") 1
=Left("I like pie.",6) I like
=Left("I like pie.") I
See also: