CFML Reference
ColdFusion Functions

GetToken

Description

Determines whether a token of the list in the delimiters parameter is present in a string.

Return value

The token found at position index of the string, as a string. If index is greater than the number of tokens in the string, returns an empty string.

Category

String functions

Syntax

GetToken(string, index [, delimiters ]) 

See also

Left, Right, Mid, SpanExcluding, SpanIncluding

Parameters

Parameter	Description
string	A string or a variable that contains one. String in which to search.
index	Positive integer or a variable that contains one. The position of a token.
delimiters	A string or a variable that contains one. A delimited list of delimiters. Elements may consist of multiple characters. Default list of delimiters: space character, tab character, newline character; or their codes: "chr(32)", "chr(9)", chr(10). Default list delimiter: comma character.

Usage

The following examples show how this function works.

Example A: Consider the following code:

GetToken("red,blue:;red,black,tan:;red,pink,brown:;red,three", 2, ":;")

This function call requests element number 2 from the string, using the delimiter ";:". The output is as follows:

red,black,tan

Example B: Consider the following code:

<cfset mystring = "four," 
& #chr(32)# & #chr(9)# & #chr(10)# 
& ",five, nine,zero:;"
& #chr(10)# 
& "nine,ten:, eleven:;twelve:;thirteen," 
& #chr(32)# & #chr(9)# & #chr(10)# 
& ",four">

<cfoutput>
#mystring#<br><br>
</cfoutput>

The output is as follows:

four,

,five, nine,zero:;
nine,ten:, eleven:;twelve:;thirteen, 
,four

The gettoken function recognizes explicit spaces, tabs, or newline characters as the parameter delimiters (To specify a space character, the code is chr(32); a tab character, chr(9); and a newline character, chr(10).)

In the example string mystring, there is:

• A forced space between the substrings "four," and ",five"
• A literal space between "five," and "nine"
• A literal space between "ten:," and "eleven,"
• A forced space between "thirteen," and ",four"

In the following call against mystring, no spaces are specified in delimiters (it is omitted), so the function uses the space character as the string delimiter:

<br>

<cfoutput>
gettoken(mystring, 3) is : #gettoken(mystring, 3)#
</cfoutput><br>

The output of this code is as follows:

gettoken(mystring, 3) is : nine,zero:;

The function finds the third delimiter, and returns the substring just before it that is between the second and third delimiter. This substring is "nine,zero:;".

Example C: Consider the following code:

<cfset mystring2 = "four," 
&#chr(9)# & #chr(10)# 
& ",five,nine,zero:;" 
& #chr(10)# 
& "nine,ten:,eleven:;twelve:;thirteen,"
& #chr(9)# & #chr(10)# & ",four">

<cfoutput>
#mystring2#<br>
</cfoutput>

The output is as follows:

four,

,five,nine,zero:; 
nine,ten:,eleven:;twelve:;thirteen, 
,four

The following is a call against mystring2:

<cfoutput>
gettoken(mystring2, 2) is : #gettoken(mystring2, 2)#

</cfoutput> 

The output is as follows:

gettoken(mystring2, 2) is : ,five,nine,zero:;

The function finds the second delimiter, and returns the substring just before it that is between the first and second delimiter. This substring is ",five,nine,zero:;".

Example

<h3>GetToken Example</h3>
<cfif IsDefined("FORM.yourString")>
<!--- set delimiter --->
<cfif FORM.yourDelimiter is not "">
    <cfset yourDelimiter = FORM.yourDelimiter>
  <cfelse>
    <cfset yourDelimiter = " ">
</cfif>
<!--- check whether number of elements in list is greater than or 
equal to the element sought to return --->
<cfif ListLen(FORM.yourString, yourDelimiter) GTE FORM.returnElement>
  <cfoutput>
  <p>Element #FORM.ReturnElement# in #FORM.yourString#,
  delimited by "#yourDelimiter#"
  <br>is:#GetToken(FORM.yourString, FORM.returnElement, yourDelimiter)#
  </cfoutput>
...

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