CFLib.org – Common Function Library Project

Description:
Removes all characters in a string between two characters. Especially useful for remarks enclosed in brackets, asterisks, etc., which you don't wish to display.

Return Values:
Returns a string.

Example:

<cfset strvar = StripBlock("Show them this [but not this]","[","]")>
<cfoutput>#strvar#</cfoutput>

Parameters:

Full UDF Source:

/**
 * Removes all characters in a string between two characters.
 * 
 * @param strString      String to modify. (Required)
 * @param strFirstChar      Character to begin removal. (Required)
 * @param strLastChar      Character to end removal. (Required)
 * @param strScope      ALL or ONE. Signifies how many replacements to make. Default is ALL. (Optional)
 * @return Returns a string. 
 * @author Neal Barnett (nealb@800wine.com) 
 * @version 1, June 21, 2002 
 */
function StripBlock(strString,strFirstChar,strLastChar) 
{
    // Special Chars - Don't include ] (end-bracket) since it must be the
    // first character within brackets [ ] in the regular expression
    var strSpecialChars = "+*?.[^$(){}|\&##-";
    
    // Default to replace all blocks in string unless they passed a scope
    var strScope = "ALL";  
    if (ArrayLen(Arguments) gt 3)
          strScope = Arguments[4];
        
    // Escape the start and end chars if they're special
    if (FindNoCase(strFirstChar,strSpecialChars)) 
        strFirstChar = "\" & strFirstChar;
    if (FindNoCase(strLastChar,strSpecialChars)) 
        strLastChar = "\" & strLastChar;

    return REReplaceNoCase(strString,strFirstChar & "[^" & strLastChar & "]*" & strLastChar,"","#strScope#");
}