====== KeepBefore(text, before_string) ======
Category:  Text function

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=====Description=====
This function returns characters before the first occurrence of //before_string// in //text//, if found.  If //before_string// is not found within //text// and "empty" value is returned.

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=====Alternative syntax=====
This function can take an optional third numeric parameter to define the instance of //before_string// used in the search.  If //instance_num// is negative, the match starts from the end of //text//.
  KeepBefore(text, before_string, instance_num)

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=====Arguments=====
^Argument^Type^Description^
|text|Text|The text value to search within for the //after_string// string.|
|before_string|Text (must //not// be empty)|The text string to search for within //text//.  The characters before this string are returned.|
|instance_num<sup>*</sup>|Number (non-zero integer)|The occurrence of //before_string// to use as the delimiter to return the text following.|
<sup>*</sup>Optional argument.

**Return value type:** Text

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=====Remarks=====
This function is case sensitive.

//text// and //before_string// are implicitly converted to text values if required.

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=====Examples=====

  keepbefore('5pm', 'pm') //Returns '5'

  keepbefore('October 2015', '2015') //Returns 'October '  (Note the space after 'October' is retained)

  keepbefore('a/a/b/b/c/d', 'b/') //Returns 'a/a/'  (Second argument can be multiple characters)

  keepbefore('a/b/c/d', '/', 2) //Returns 'a/b'  (Keep text before the second instance of '/')

  keepbefore('a/b/c/d', '/', -1) //Returns 'a/b/c'  (Keep text before the second instance of '/', from the end)

  keepbefore('a/b/c/d', 'z') //Returns (empty)  ('z' not found within the text value)

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===== See also =====
  * [[syntax:functions:keepafter|KeepAfter(text, after_string)]]
  * [[syntax:functions:removestart|RemoveStart(text, remove_num)]]