StringArray PowerBuilder Reference Documentation
StringArray
Current Version: 11.6.0
Chilkat.StringArray
Store strings in an internal ordered collection and retrieve them by
zero-based index using
Append, prepend, insert, replace, remove, clear, or pop strings as the
collection changes.
Load one string per line from files or text, and save the collection back
to files or a single line-delimited string.
Use charset-specific load and save methods when working with UTF-8,
UTF-16, or other non-ANSI text encodings.
Check for exact strings, find values from a starting index, match
wildcard patterns, and sort ascending or descending.
Serialize the collection for later restoration, split text into entries,
and combine or subtract collections with set-style operations.
Manage an ordered collection of strings, with StringTable recommended for new code.
Chilkat.StringArray is an ordered string-collection class that
can append, prepend, insert, replace, remove, pop, and retrieve strings by
index. It can load one string per line from files or in-memory text, save the
collection back to text or files, enforce uniqueness, trim incoming values,
normalize line endings, search by exact value or wildcard pattern, sort
entries, split text into entries, serialize and restore the collection, and
perform set-style operations such as union and subtraction.
Chilkat.StringTable instead of
Chilkat.StringArray. StringTable provides a simpler,
faster, and more memory-efficient way to manage ordered lists of strings.
Use StringArray primarily when maintaining existing code or when
a specific API or older example already uses it.
Ordered string collection
GetString, StrAt, or
LastString.
Add and modify entries
Load and save text
Charset-aware file I/O
Search, match, and sort
Serialize and combine
StringArray, optionally set Trim,
Crlf, or Unique, then append strings directly or
load them from a file or text block. Search, sort, split, remove, union, or
subtract entries as needed, then save the result with
SaveToText, SaveToFile, or
SaveToFile2. For new code that only needs an ordered list of
strings, use Chilkat.StringTable instead.
Array,
Chilkat.StringArray is a Chilkat object that manages an ordered
string collection. It should not be confused with a native array type in a
programming language.
Object Creation
oleobject loo_StringArray
integer li_rc
loo_StringArray = create oleobject
li_rc = loo_StringArray.ConnectToNewObject("Chilkat.StringArray")
if li_rc < 0 then
destroy loo_StringArray
MessageBox("Error","Connecting to COM object failed")
return
end if
// ... use loo_StringArray ...
destroy loo_StringArrayPowerBuilder uses the Chilkat ActiveX through an oleobject: declare the variable, create it, connect it to the Chilkat class with ConnectToNewObject, and destroy it when finished. A negative return code from ConnectToNewObject means the ActiveX is not registered, or the registered ActiveX does not match the bitness (32-bit or 64-bit) of the PowerBuilder target.
Objects returned by methods (such as an HttpResponse or JsonObject) are also oleobject variables and must likewise be destroyed. A method that fails to return an object returns null; test with IsNull(). In the signatures on this page, the Chilkat class name identifies which object is expected or returned; the PowerBuilder variable type is always oleobject.
To bind to a specific major version of Chilkat, append the major version number to the ProgID, such as ConnectToNewObject("Chilkat.StringArray.11") for Chilkat v11.*.*.
Members typed blob exchange binary data as a Variant byte array. The PowerBuilder examples instead use the BinData-based alternatives (methods ending in Bd), which keep binary data inside Chilkat objects.
Properties
Count
The number of strings contained within the object's internal array (i.e. ordered collection).
Important: This is an object that contains a collection of strings. Although the class/object name includes the word Array, it should not be confused with an array in the sense of the primitive array type used in a given programming language.
Crlf
If 1, strings are always automatically converted to use CRLF line endings. If 0, strings are automatically converted to use bare LF line endings.
DebugLogFilePath
If set to a file path, this property logs the LastErrorText of each Chilkat method or property call to the specified file. This logging helps identify the context and history of Chilkat calls leading up to any crash or hang, aiding in debugging.
Enabling the VerboseLogging property provides more detailed information. This property is mainly used for debugging rare instances where a Chilkat method call causes a hang or crash, which should generally not happen.
Possible causes of hangs include:
- A timeout property set to 0, indicating an infinite timeout.
- A hang occurring within an event callback in the application code.
- An internal bug in the Chilkat code causing the hang.
LastBinaryResult
This property is mainly used in SQL Server stored procedures to retrieve binary data from the last method call that returned binary data. It is only accessible if Chilkat.Global.KeepBinaryResult is set to 1. This feature allows for the retrieval of large varbinary results in an SQL Server environment, which has restrictions on returning large data via method calls, though temp tables can handle binary properties.
LastErrorHtml
Provides HTML-formatted information about the last called method or property. If a method call fails or behaves unexpectedly, check this property for details. Note that information is available regardless of the method call's success.
topLastErrorText
Provides plain text information about the last called method or property. If a method call fails or behaves unexpectedly, check this property for details. Note that information is available regardless of the method call's success.
LastErrorXml
Provides XML-formatted information about the last called method or property. If a method call fails or behaves unexpectedly, check this property for details. Note that information is available regardless of the method call's success.
topLastMethodSuccess
Indicates the success or failure of the most recent method call: 1 means success, 0 means failure. This property remains unchanged by property setters or getters. This method is present to address challenges in checking for null or Nothing returns in certain programming languages. Note: This property does not apply to methods that return integer values or to boolean-returning methods where the boolean does not indicate success or failure.
LastStringResult
In SQL Server stored procedures, this property holds the string return value of the most recent method call that returns a string. It is accessible only when Chilkat.Global.KeepStringResult is set to TRUE. SQL Server has limitations on string lengths returned from methods and properties, but temp tables can be used to access large strings.
LastStringResultLen
The length, in characters, of the string contained in the LastStringResult property.
topLength
The number of strings contained within the internal collection. (Identical to the Count property.)
topTrim
If 1, whitespace, including carriage-returns and linefeeds, are automatically removed from the beginning and end of a string when added to the collection.
Unique
If 1, then duplicates are not allowed. When an attempt is made to insert a string that already exists, the duplicate insertion is silently suppressed and no error is returned. The default value is 0.
VerboseLogging
If set to 1, then the contents of LastErrorText (or LastErrorXml, or LastErrorHtml) may contain more verbose information. The default value is 0. Verbose logging should only be used for debugging. The potentially large quantity of logged information may adversely affect peformance.
Version
Methods
Append
Appends a string to the end of the internal ordered collection.
Returns 1 for success, 0 for failure.
topAppendSerialized
Appends multiple strings to the end of the internal ordered collection. The encodedStr is what is returned from the Serialize method (see below).
Returns 1 for success, 0 for failure.
topClear
Remove all strings from the internal collection.
topContains
Returns 1 if the string is present in the internal collection. The string comparisons are case sensitive.
Find
Finds the index of the first string equal to findStr. The search begins at startIndex. If the string is not found, -1 is returned. The first string in the array is at index 0.
FindFirstMatch
Finds the first string that matches the matchPattern. The search begins at startIndex. If the string is not found, -1 is returned. The first string in the array is at index 0.
The matchPattern may contain zero or more asterisk chars, each of which matches 0 or more of any character.
GetString
Returns the string at an indexed location within the internal collection. The first string is located at index 0.
Returns null on failure
InsertAt
Inserts a string into the internal collection at a specified index. Using index 0 will insert at the beginning.
topLastString
LoadFromFile
Loads strings from a file (one per line) into the internal collection. It is assumed the file contains ANSI strings. To load from a file containing non-ANSI strings (such as utf-8), call LoadFromFile2 instead.
Note: This method appends the strings in path to the existing collection of strings contained in this object.
Returns 1 for success, 0 for failure.
topLoadFromFile2
Loads strings from a file (one per line) into the internal collection. The charset specifies the character encoding (such as utf-8) of the strings contained in the file.
Note: This method appends the strings in path to the existing collection of strings contained in this object.
Returns 1 for success, 0 for failure.
topLoadFromText
Loads strings from an in-memory string (one per line) into the internal collection.
Note: This method appends the strings in str to the existing collection of strings contained in this object.
LoadTaskResult
Loads the string collection from a completed asynchronous task.
Returns 1 for success, 0 for failure.
topPop
Prepend
Adds a string to the beginning of the internal collection.
topRemove
Removes all strings equal to the string argument from the internal collection.
topRemoveAt
Removes the string at a particular index.
topReplaceAt
Replaces the string at a specified index.
topSaveNthToFile
SaveToFile
Saves the collection of strings to a file, one string per line. Strings are saved using the ANSI charset. (Call SaveToFile2 to specify a charset, such as utf-8)
Returns 1 for success, 0 for failure.
topSaveToFile2
Saves the collection of strings to a file, one string per line. Strings are saved using the specified charset.
Returns 1 for success, 0 for failure.
topSaveToText
Writes the collection of strings to a single string, one per line (separated by CRLF line endings).
Returns null on failure
Serialize
Returns an string which is an encoded representation of all the strings in the collection. The string collection can be re-created by calling the AppendSerialized method.
Returns null on failure
Sort
Sorts the strings in the collection in ascending or descending order. To sort in ascending order, set ascending to 1, otherwise set ascending equal to 0.
SplitAndAppend
Splits a string at a character or substring boundary and adds each resulting string to the internal collection.
topSubtract
Subtracts the strings contained within stringArrayObj from the caller's internal collection.
Union
Performs the union set-operator. The result is that the caller will have a string collection that is the union of itself and stringArrayObj.