### Len (str)

Len and Length (str) are equivalent functions. However, Len is preferred in Basic syntax whereas Length is preferred in Crystal syntax.

##### Argument

str is a text String value

##### Returns

Whole number

##### Action

Len returns a Number indicating the length of the given string.

Note: Text strings must be enclosed in quotation marks. Any blank spaces are included as part of the character count.

##### Typical use

Use this function any time you have a manipulation, comparison, or calculation that is dependent on the length of a text string.

##### Examples

The following examples are applicable to both Basic and Crystal syntax:

`Len("Account")`

Returns 7.

`Len("Text String")`

Returns 11. The blank space between "Text" and "String" is counted as a character.

`Len(" Center ")`

Returns 10. There are 2 spaces on either side of the word "Center".

`Len(ToText({orders.ORDER AMOUNT}))`

Returns 9, where {orders.ORDER AMOUNT} is 14233.08, and ToText ({orders.ORDER AMOUNT}) returns the String "14,233.08". Here, the comma and period have been specified in the Number format for the formula field as the thousands and decimal separators respectively.

`Len(ToText({orders.ORDER AMOUNT}, 2, "", "."))`

Returns 8 where {orders.ORDER AMOUNT} = 14233.08, and ToText ({orders.ORDER AMOUNT}, 2, "", ".") returns the String "14233.08". Here, the null character and period have been specified in the Number format for the formula field as the thousands and decimal separators respectively.

`Len({customer.CUSTOMER NAME})`

The length of the text string stored as a value in {customer.CUSTOMER NAME}.

The following examples are applicable to Basic syntax:

`{customer.CUSTOMER NAME} (Len({customer.CUSTOMER NAME})-2)`

Returns the third character from the right in the Customer Name. This can also be used to extract a substring from a String that always starts at a fixed position from the end of the String.

In the following example, an address line contains the province name and postal code. Full province names are of different lengths; however, a postal code has a fixed number of characters: the first character of the postal code is always the seventh from the last character in the String. The formula determines the length of the address line, subtracts 7 from it, and uses the result to identify the first character of the postal code in the address line.

Dim addressLine As String
Dim addressLen As Number
addressLine = "British Columbia V6X 3W2"
addressLen = Len (addressLine)
formula = addressLine (addressLen-7+1 To addressLen)

Returns the String "V6X 3W2".

##### Comments

This function is designed to work like the Visual Basic function of the same name.

Seagate Software, Inc. http://www.seagatesoftware.com Please send comments to: techpubs@seagatesoftware.com