User Guide

Left 707
Left
Description
Returns the leftmost count characters in a string.
Returns
String; the first count characters in the string parameter.
Category
String functions
Function syntax
Left(string, count)
See also
Right, Mid, Len
Parameters
Example
<h3>Left Example</h3>
<cfif IsDefined("Form.myText")>
<!--- If len returns 0 (zero), then show error message. --->
<cfif Len(Form.myText)>
<cfif Len(Form.myText) LTE Form.RemoveChars>
<cfoutput><p style="color: red; font-weight: bold">Your string
#Form.myText# only has #Len(Form.myText)# characters. You cannot output
the #Form.removeChars# leftmost characters of this string because it is
not long enough.</p></cfoutput>
<cfelse>
<cfoutput><p>Your original string: <strong>#Form.myText#</strong></p>
<p>Your changed string, showing only the <strong>#Form.removeChars#
</strong> leftmost characters:
<strong>#Left(Form.myText, Form.removeChars)#</strong></p>
</cfoutput>
</cfif>
<cfelse>
<p style="color: red; font-weight: bold">Please enter a string of more
than 0 (zero) characters.</p>
</cfif>
</cfif>
<form action="<cfoutput>#CGI.ScriptName#</cfoutput>" method="POST">
<p>Type in some text<br />
<input type="Text" name="myText"></p>
<p>How many characters from the left do you want to show?
Parameter Description
string A string or a variable that contains one.
count A positive integer or a variable that contains one. Number of characters to return.