Fundamentals > Relations and Parameters > Relations > Operators and Functions Used in Relations > Operators

and Functions
for Strings

Operators and Functions for Strings

The following operators and functions are supported for strings:

== Compares strings as equal.

!=, <>, ~= Compares strings as unequal.

+ Concatenates strings.

itos(int) Converts integers to strings. Here, int can be

a number or an expression. Nonintegers are
rounded off.

search(string, substring) Searches for substrings. The resulting value is

the position of the substring in the string (0 if
not found).

extract(string, position, length) Extracts pieces of strings.

string_starts (string 1, string 2) TRUE, if the value of string 1 starts with the
value of string 2.

string_ends (string 1, string 2) TRUE, if the value of string 1 ends with the
value of string 2.

string_match (string 1, string 2) TRUE, if the value of string 1 matches the

value of string 2.

For example:
If param = abcdef, then:
• flag = param == abcdef—returns TRUE
• flag = abcdef != ghi—returns TRUE
• new = param + ghi—new is abcdefghi
• new = itos(10 + 7)—new is 17
• new = param + itos(1.5)—new is abcdef2
• where = search(param, bcd)—where is 2
• where = search(param, bcd)—where is 0
• new = extract(param,2,3)—new is bcd

If you use the itos function on a parameter whose value is zero (0), the return
value is an empty string.

The following examples illustrate the itos function:

integer_param = 4

string_param = itos(integer_param)

/*string_param will return 4 */

integer_param = -7

string_param = itos(int_param)

/*string_param will return -7 */

For an integer with zero (0) value, the itos function returns a null ("") value as shown
below:
integer_param = 0

string_param = itos(int_param)

/*string_param will return an empty or null string ("") */

To return a zero string value ("0"), use the following IF statement:

integer_param = 0
string_param = itos(integer_param)
IF string_param == ""
string_param = "0"
ENDIF
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