CFLib.org – Common Function Library Project

Description:
An enhanced version of left() that doesn't cut words off in the middle; instead, it searches backward until it finds a full word.

Return Values:
Returns a string.

Example:

<cfset text="You wouldn't see words chopped in half on the front page of the New York Times">

<cfoutput>
Full String: #text#<BR>
FullLeft(text, 25): #fullLeft(text, 25)#<BR>
FullLeft(text, 34): #fullLeft(text, 34)#<BR>
</cfoutput>

Parameters:

Full UDF Source:

<cfscript>
/**
 * An enhanced version of left() that doesn't cut words off in the middle.
 * Minor edits by Rob Brooks-Bilson (&#114;&#98;&#105;&#108;&#115;&#64;&#97;&#109;&#107;&#111;&#114;&#46;&#99;&#111;&#109;) and Raymond Camden (&#114;&#98;&#105;&#108;&#115;&#64;&#97;&#109;&#107;&#111;&#114;&#46;&#99;&#111;&#109;&#114;&#97;&#121;&#64;&#99;&#97;&#109;&#100;&#101;&#110;&#102;&#97;&#109;&#105;&#108;&#121;&#46;&#99;&#111;&#109;)
 * 
 * Updates for version 2 include fixes where count was very short, and when count+1 was a space. Done by RCamden.
 * 
 * @param str 	 String to be checked. 
 * @param count 	 Number of characters from the left to return. 
 * @return Returns a string. 
 * @author Marc Esher (&#114;&#98;&#105;&#108;&#115;&#64;&#97;&#109;&#107;&#111;&#114;&#46;&#99;&#111;&#109;&#114;&#97;&#121;&#64;&#99;&#97;&#109;&#100;&#101;&#110;&#102;&#97;&#109;&#105;&#108;&#121;&#46;&#99;&#111;&#109;&#106;&#111;&#110;&#110;&#121;&#99;&#97;&#116;&#116;&#116;&#64;&#97;&#111;&#108;&#46;&#99;&#111;&#109;) 
 * @version 2, April 16, 2002 
 */
function fullLeft(str, count) {
	if (not refind("[[:space:]]", str) or (count gte len(str)))
		return Left(str, count);
	else if(reFind("[[:space:]]",mid(str,count+1,1))) {
	  	return left(str,count);
	} else { 
		if(count-refind("[[:space:]]", reverse(mid(str,1,count)))) return Left(str, (count-refind("[[:space:]]", reverse(mid(str,1,count))))); 
		else return(left(str,1));
	}
}
</cfscript>