# StringHandling routine The StringHandling routine contains several functions which allow you to carry out various kinds of operations and tests on alphanumeric expressions, based on Java methods. You can access these functions by double-clicking the StringHandling node under the system routines folder in the Repository tree view. Functions of the StringHandling routineFunctions of the StringHandlingStringHandling routine | Function | Description | Syntax | | --- | --- | --- | | ALPHA | Checks whether the expression is arranged in alphabetical order.
Returns the true or false boolean
accordingly. | StringHandling.ALPHA("string to be checked") | | IS\_ALPHA | Checks whether the expression contains alphabetical characters only,
or otherwise. Returns the true or
false boolean accordingly. | StringHandling.IS\_ALPHA("string to be checked") | | CHANGE | Replaces an element of a string with a defined replacement element
and returns the new string. | StringHandling.CHANGE("string to be checked", "string to be
replaced","replacement string") | | COUNT | Returns the number of times a substring occurs within a string. | StringHandling.COUNT("string to be checked", "substring to be
counted") | | DOWNCASE | Converts all uppercase letters in an expression into lowercase and
returns the new string. | StringHandling.DOWNCASE("string to be converted") | | UPCASE | Converts all lowercase letters in an expression into uppercase and
returns the new string. | StringHandling.UPCASE("string to be converted") | | DQUOTE | Encloses an expression in double quotation marks. | StringHandling.DQUOTE("string to be enclosed in double
quotation marks") | | EREPLACE | Substitutes all substrings that match the given regular expression in
the given old string with the given replacement and returns a new
string. | StringHandling.EREPLACE(oldStr, regex, replacement) | | INDEX | Returns the position of the first character in a specified substring,
within a whole string. If the substring specified does not exist in
the whole string, the value -1 is returned. | StringHandling.INDEX("string to be checked", "substring
specified") | | LEFT | Specifies a substring which corresponds to the first n characters in
a string. | StringHandling.LEFT("string to be checked", number of
characters) | | RIGHT | Specifies a substring which corresponds to the last n characters in a
string. | StringHandling.RIGHT("string to be checked", number of
characters) | | LEN | Calculates the length of a string. | StringHandling.LEN("string to check") | | SPACE | Generates a string consisting of a specified number of blank
spaces. | StringHandling.SPACE(number of blank spaces to be
generated) | | SQUOTE | Encloses an expression in single quotation marks. | StringHandling.SQUOTE("string to be enclosed in single
quotation marks") | | STR | Generates a particular character a the number of times specified. | StringHandling.STR('character to be generated', number of
times) | | TRIM | Deletes the spaces and tabs before the first non-blank character in a
string and after the last non-blank character, then returns the new
string. | StringHandling.TRIM("string to be checked") | | BTRIM | Deletes all the spaces and tabs after the last non-blank character in
a string and returns the new string. | StringHandling.BTRIM("string to be checked") | | FTRIM | Deletes all the spaces and tabs preceding the first non-blank
character in a string. | StringHandling.FTRIM("string to be checked") | | SUBSTR | Returns a portion of a string. It counts all characters, including
blanks, starting at the beginning of the string. | StringHandling.SUBSTR(string, start, length)

| | LTRIM | Removes blanks or characters from the beginning of a string. | StringHandling.LTRIM(string[, trim\_set])

| | RTRIM | Removes blanks or characters from the end of a string. | StringHandling.RTRIM(string[, trim\_set])

| | LPAD | Converts a string to a specified length by adding blanks or
characters to the beginning of the string. | StringHandling.LPAD(first\_string, length[,
second\_string])

| | RPAD | Converts a string to a specified length by adding blanks or
characters to the end of the string. | StringHandling.RPAD(first\_string, length[,
second\_string])

| | INSTR | Returns the position of a character set in a string, counting from
left to right and starting from 1.

Note that it returns 0 if the search is unsuccessful
and NULL if the search value is NULL. | StringHandling.INSTR(string, search\_value, start,
occurrence)



For example, StringHandling.INSTR("Talend Technology", "e",
3, 2), it will start the search from the third
character l and return 7, the
position of the second character e. | | INSTR | Returns the position of a byte set in a string,
counting from left to right and starting from 1.

Note that it returns 0 if the search
is unsuccessful and NULL if the
search value is NULL. | StringHandling.INSTR(byte[] string, byte[]
search\_value, start, occurrence)

| | TO\_CHAR | Converts numeric values to text strings. | StringHandling.TO\_CHAR(numeric\_value) | ## Storing a string in alphabetical order It is easy to use the ALPHA routine along with a tJava component, to check whether a string is in alphabetical order: ``` System.out.println(StringHandling.ALPHA("abcdefg")); ``` The check returns a boolean value. ![The result is "true" in the Run view.](https://help.qlik.com/talend/en-US/studio-user-guide/Resources/images/routines6-1.png) ## Checking whether a string is alphabetical It is easy to use the IS\_ALPHA routine along with a tJava component, to check whether the string is alphabetical: ``` System.out.println(StringHandling.IS_ALPHA("ab33cd")); ``` The check returns a boolean value. ![The result is "false" in the Run view.](https://help.qlik.com/talend/en-US/studio-user-guide/Resources/images/Routines6_b.png) ## Replacing an element in a string It is easy to use the CHANGE routine along with a tJava component, to replace one element in a string with another: ``` System.out.println(StringHandling.CHANGE("hello world!", "world", "guy")); ``` The routine replaces the old element with the new element specified. ![The result is "hello guy!" in the Run view.](https://help.qlik.com/talend/en-US/studio-user-guide/Resources/images/routines6-2.png) ## Checking the position of a specific character or substring, within a string The INDEX routine is easy to use along with a tJava component, to check whether a string contains a specified character or substring: ``` System.out.println(StringHandling.INDEX("hello world!", "hello")); System.out.println(StringHandling.INDEX("hello world!", "world")); System.out.println(StringHandling.INDEX("hello world!", "!")); System.out.println(StringHandling.INDEX("hello world", "?")); ``` The routine returns a whole number which indicates the position of the first character specified, or indeed the first character of the substring specified. Otherwise, -1 is returned if no occurrences are found. ![The result is 0, 6, 11, and -1 in the Run view.](https://help.qlik.com/talend/en-US/studio-user-guide/Resources/images/Routines6_c.png) ## Calculating the length of a string The LEN routine is easy to use, along with a tJava component, to check the length of a string: ``` System.out.println(StringHandling.LEN("hello world!")); ``` The check returns a whole number which indicates the length of the chain, including spaces and blank characters. ![The result is 12 in the Run view.](https://help.qlik.com/talend/en-US/studio-user-guide/Resources/images/routines6-3.png) ## Deleting blank characters The FTRIM routine is easy to use, along with a tJava component, to delete blank characters from the start of a string: ``` System.out.println(StringHandling.FTRIM(" Hello world !")); ``` The routine returns the string with the blank characters removed from the beginning. ![The result is "Hello world !" in the Run view.](https://help.qlik.com/talend/en-US/studio-user-guide/Resources/images/Routines6_d.png)