%TRIM (Trim Characters at Edges)

%TRIM(string {: characters to trim})

%TRIM with only one parameter returns the given string with any leading and trailing blanks removed.

%TRIM with two parameters returns the given string with any leading and trailing characters that are in the characters to trim parameter removed.

The string can be character, graphic, or UCS-2 data.

If the characters to trim parameter is specified, it must be the same type as the string parameter.

When specified as a parameter for a definition specification keyword, the string parameter must be a constant.

Note: Specifying %TRIM with two parameters is not supported for parameters of Definition keywords.

For more information, see String Operations or Built-in Functions.

Figure 1. %TRIM Example

 *..1....+....2....+....3....+....4....+....5....+....6....+....7...+....
D*Name++++++++++ETDsFrom+++To/L+++IDc.Keywords+++++++++++++++++++++++++
D Location        S             16A
D FirstName       S             10A   inz ('   Chris ')
D LastName        S             10A   inz ('   Smith ')

D Name            S             20A

 * LOCATION will have the value 'Toronto, Ontario'.
 /FREE
     Location = %trim ('  Toronto, Ontario  ');
 
  // Name will have the value 'Chris Smith!        '.
   Name = %trim (FirstName) + ' ' + %trim (LastName) + '!';
 /END-FREE

Figure 2. Trimming characters other than blank

D edited          S             20A   INZ('$******5.27***      ')
D trimmed         S             20A   varying
D numeric         S             15P 3
 /FREE      

     // Trim '$' and '*' from the edited numeric value
     // Note: blanks will not be trimmed, since a blank
     // is not specified in the 'characters to trim' parameter

     trimmed = %trim(edited : '$*');     // trimmed is now '5.27***      '

     // Trim '$' and '*' and blank from the edited numeric value

     trimmed = %trim(edited : '$* ');     // trimmed is now '5.27'

     // Get the numeric value from the edited value

     numeric = %dec(%trim(edited : '$* ') : 31 : 9);     // numeric is now 5.27