ACC2000: How to Strip Specific Characters from a String

• Microsoft Access 2000

SUMMARY

This article shows you how to create a custom function to strip invalid characters or characters that you do not want from a string. You can use this function in queries and in text input boxes.

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MORE INFORMATION

To strip invalid characters or characters that you do not want from a string, follow these steps:

1. Create a module and type the following line in the Declarations section if it is not already there:




Option Explicit 

2. Type the following procedure:




 
' --------------------------------------------------
' Function StripString()
'
' Returns a string minus a set of specified chars.
' --------------------------------------------------

Function StripString(MyStr As Variant) As Variant
   On Error GoTo StripStringError

   Dim strChar As String, strHoldString As String
   Dim i As Integer

   ' Exit if the passed value is null.
   If IsNull(MyStr) Then Exit Function

   ' Exit if the passed value is not a string.
   If VarType(MyStr) <> 8 Then Exit Function

   ' Check each value for invalid characters.
   For i = 1 To Len(MyStr)
      strChar = Mid$(MyStr, i, 1)
      Select Case strChar
         Case ".", "#", ",", "-"
            ' Do nothing
         Case Else
            strHoldString = strHoldString & strChar
      End Select
   Next i

   ' Pass back corrected string.
   StripString = strHoldString

StripStringEnd:
   Exit Function

StripStringError:
   MsgBox Error$
   Resume StripStringEnd
End Function 

3. To test this function, type the following line in the Immediate window, and then press ENTER:

   
   ? StripString("Test.#,-") 

   Note that the function prints the word "Test" in the Immediate window. The invalid characters (".#,-") are successfully stripped from the test string.

REFERENCES

For more information about information about string manipulation, click Microsoft Access Help on the Help menu, type "Len" in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.

Additional query words: remove removing removes

Keywords : kbprg kbdta AccCon KbVBA
Version : WINDOWS:2000
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbinfo