Formulas for extracting data from strings

Use the following formulas to:

Measure the length of strings (how many characters there are in a string).
Display the positions of characters within a string.
Display a series of characters within a string.

Formula patterns

TO	USE
Extract the length of a string	$StrLen(string)$
Extract the position of a specified string series (case-sensitive)	$StrPos((where-to-search), what-to-search-for, idx)$
Extract the position of a specified string series (not case-sensitive)	$StrPosNoCase((where-to-search), what-to-search-for, idx)$
Extract string series	$SubStrIdx(where-to-search, first-idx[, last-idx])$
Extract a specified number of characters	$SubStrLen((where-to-search, first-idx[, length])$

NOTES

In the notes and examples that follow, item refers to a letter, digit or symbol.
The StrPos formula is case-sensitive.
where-to-search indicates, for example, a 1up drawing.
what-to-search-for indicates an item or a series of items to search for.
idx indicates the position of the searched-for item in the string*.
The SubStrIdx formula returns the item that starts from a specified position (first-idx) and ends at a second position (last-idx). If the second position is omitted, the formula returns all the string items from the initial position until the end of the string. The positions are extracted with the StrPos or StrPosNoCase formulas.
The SubStrLen formula returns a series of items that (1) starts at a specified position and (2) has as many items as is the specified number. The item positions are extracted with the StrPos or StrPosNoCase formulas.

* Zero-based counting is applied: the first item is counted as 0, the second as 1, and so on. The following rules apply:

You can omit starting idx. In this case, the formula returns the first occurence of the searched-for item from left to right.
If idx equals or is greater than zero, the formula returns the respective position of the searched-for item from left to right.
If idx is less than zero, the formula returns the first position of the searched-for item from right to left. In this case, the rightmost item is counted as 1, the next one as 2, and so on.

Examples

The examples that follow refer to a material named W-12xy EB-WB-00.

NOTE: In the formulas, n0 ensures that the result will appear as an integer and that no zeroes will appear after the decimal point.

To print	Use	Example	Because
The number of string items, spaces included	$StrLen((#OneUp1.Material.Name)), n0$	15
The position of the first dash	$StrPos((#OneUp1.Material.Name), "–", 0), n0$	1
The position of the second dash	$StrPos((#OneUp1.Material.Name), "–", 1), n0$	9
The position of the third dash	$StrPos((#OneUp1.Material.Name), "–", 2), n0$	12
The position of the fourth dash	$StrPos((#OneUp1.Material.Name), "–", 3), n0$	–1	There is no fourth dash in the string.
The position of the first dash from right to left	$StrPos((#OneUp1.Material.Name), "–", –1), n0$	3	In right-to-left counting, the first position counts as 1.
The position of the letter "E"	$StrPos((#OneUp1.Material.Name), "EB"), n0$	7
The the position of the letters "eb"	$StrPos((#OneUp1.Material.Name), "eb"), n0$	-1	Because case-sensitivity is respected, the item series "eb" has not been found.
The position of the letter "E"	$StrPosNoCase((#OneUp1.Material.Name), "EB"), n0$	7	The position of the letter "E". No case-sensitivity.
The position of the letter "E"	$StrPosNoCase((#OneUp1.Material.Name), "eb"), n0$	7	The position of the letter "E". No case-sensitivity.
The symbols between two specified string positions	$SubStrIdx((#OneUp1.Material.Name), strpos((#OneUp1.Material.Name), "–", 0)+1, strpos((#OneUp1.Material.Name), "–", 1))$	12xy EB	The item series between the first and second specified dashes.
Four items after a specified items	$SubStrLen((#OneUp1.Material.Name), strpos((#OneUp1.Material.Name), "–", 0)+1, 4)$	12xy	The four symbols after the specified dash.