Category: Text function
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.
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)
| 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* | Number (non-zero integer) | The occurrence of before_string to use as the delimiter to return the text following. |
*Optional argument.
Return value type: Text
This function is case sensitive.
text and before_string are implicitly converted to text values if required.
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)