# TalendString routine

The TalendString routine contains several functions which allow you to carry out various operations on alphanumerical expressions.

You can access these functions by double-clicking the TalendString node under the system routines folder in the Repository tree view.

Functions of the TalendString routineFunctions of the TalendStringTalendString routine

| Function | Description | Syntax |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AddEscapeChars | Adds a specified character before each special character (that is, a<br>character that is not a letter, a digit, \_, or space) in a string. | TalendString.addEscapeChars("padding chars",'escape char') |
| replaceSpecialCharForXML | returns a string from which the special characters (eg.:: &lt;, &gt;,<br>&...) have been replaced by equivalent XML characters. | TalendString.replaceSpecialCharForXML("string containing the special<br>characters - eg.: Thelma & Louise") |
| checkCDATAForXML | identifies characters starting with &lt;![CDATA[ and<br>ending with ]]&gt; as pertaining to XML and returns them<br>without modification. Transforms the strings not identified as XML in a<br>form which is compatible with XML and returns them. | TalendString.checkCDATAForXML("string to be parsed") |
| talendTrim | parses the entry string and removes the filler characters from the start and<br>end of the string according to the alignment value specified:<br>-1 for the filler characters at the end of the<br>string, 1 for those at the start of the string and<br>0 for both. Returns the trimmed string. | TalendString.talendTrim("string to be parsed", "filler character to<br>be removed", character position) |
| removeAccents | removes accents from a string and returns the string without the<br>accents. | TalendString.removeAccents("String") |
| getAsciiRandomString | generates a random string with a specific number of characters. | TalendString.getAsciiRandomString(whole number indicating the length<br>of the string) |
| unionString | Combines the variable number of strings with a specified string<br>separator. | TalendString.unionString(String separator,Object...<br>objects) |

### In this section

* [Formatting an XML string](https://help.qlik.com/talend/en-US/studio-user-guide/8.0-R2024-04-and-earlier/formatting-xml-string)
* [Trimming a string](https://help.qlik.com/talend/en-US/studio-user-guide/8.0-R2024-04-and-earlier/trimming-string)
* [Removing accents from a string](https://help.qlik.com/talend/en-US/studio-user-guide/8.0-R2024-04-and-earlier/removing-accents-from-string)