memory alpha
Module documentation (
)

This module is intended to provide access to basic string functions.

Most of the functions provided here can be invoked with named parameters, unnamed parameters, or a mixture. If named parameters are used, Mediawiki will automatically remove any leading or trailing whitespace from the parameter. Depending on the intended use, it may be advantageous to either preserve or remove such whitespace.

Global options

ignore_errors
If set to 'true' or 1, any error condition will result in an empty string being returned rather than an error message.
error_category
If an error occurs, specifies the name of a category to include with the error message. The default category is Category:Memory Alpha pages with Module:String errors (0).
no_category
If set to 'true' or 1, no category will be added if an error is generated.

len

This function returns the length of the target string.

Usage:

{{#invoke:String|len|target_string}}

OR

{{#invoke:String|len|s= target_string }}

Parameters:

s
The string whose length to report

Examples:

sub

This function returns a substring of the target string at specified inclusive, one-indexed indices.

Usage:

{{#invoke:String|sub|target_string|start_index|end_index}}

OR

{{#invoke:String|sub|s= target_string |i= start_index |j= end_index }}

Parameters:

s
The string to return a subset of
i
The first index of the substring to return, defaults to 1.
j
The last index of the string to return, defaults to the last character.

The first character of the string is assigned an index of 1. If either i or j is a negative value, it is interpreted the same as selecting a character by counting from the end of the string. Hence, a value of -1 is the same as selecting the last character of the string.

If the requested indices are out of range for the given string, an error is reported.

Examples:

sublength

This function implements the features of {{str sub old}} and is kept in order to maintain these older templates. It returns a substring of the target string starting at a specified index and of a specified length.

Usage:

{{#invoke:String|sublength|s= target_string |i= start_index |len= length }}

Parameters:

s
The string
i
The starting index of the substring to return. The first character of the string is assigned an index of 0.
len
The length of the string to return, defaults to the last character.

Examples:

match

This function returns a substring from the source string that matches a specified pattern.

Usage:

{{#invoke:String|match|source_string|pattern_string|start_index|match_number|plain_flag|nomatch_output}}

OR

{{#invoke:String|match|s= source_string |pattern= pattern_string |start= start_index |match= match_number |plain= plain_flag |nomatch= nomatch_output }}

Parameters:

s
The string to search
pattern
The pattern or string to find within the string
start
The index within the source string to start the search. The first character of the string has index 1. Defaults to 1.
match
In some cases it may be possible to make multiple matches on a single string. This specifies which match to return, where the first match is match= 1. If a negative number is specified then a match is returned counting from the last match. Hence match = -1 is the same as requesting the last match. Defaults to 1.
plain
Boolean flag indicating that pattern should be understood as plain text and not as a Scribunto ustring pattern (a unicode-friendly Lua-style regular expression). Defaults to false (to change: plain=true)
nomatch
If no match is found, output the "nomatch" value rather than an error.
ignore_errors
If no match is found and ignore_errors=true, output an empty string rather than an error.

If the match_number or start_index are out of range for the string being queried, then this function generates an error. An error is also generated if no match is found. If one adds the parameter ignore_errors=true, then the error will be suppressed and an empty string will be returned on any failure.

For information on constructing Lua patterns, a form of regular expression, see:

Examples:

pos

This function returns a single character from the target string at position pos.

Usage:

{{#invoke:String|pos|target_string|index_value}}

OR

{{#invoke:String|pos|target= target_string |pos= index_value }}

Parameters:

target
The string to search
pos
The index for the character to return

The first character has an index value of 1.

If one requests a negative value, this function will select a character by counting backwards from the end of the string. In other words pos = -1 is the same as asking for the last character.

A requested value of zero, or a value greater than the length of the string returns an error.

Examples:

find

This function allows one to search for a target string or pattern within another string.

Usage:

{{#invoke:String|find|source_string|target_string|start_index|plain_flag}}

OR

{{#invoke:String|find|source= source_string |target= target_string |start= start_index |plain= plain_flag }}

Parameters:

source
The string to search
target
The string or pattern to find within source
start
The index within the source string to start the search, defaults to 1
plain
Boolean flag indicating that target should be understood as plain text and not as a Scribunto ustring pattern (a unicode-friendly Lua-style regular expression); defaults to true

This function returns the first index >= "start" where "target" can be found within "source". Indices are 1-based. If "target" is not found, then this function returns 0. If either "source" or "target" are missing / empty, this function also returns 0.

This function should be safe for UTF-8 strings.

Examples:

When using unnamed parameters, preceding and trailing spaces are kept and counted:

Testing for the presence of a string:

findpagetext

The findpagetext function returns the position of a piece of text in the wikitext source of a page. It takes up to four parameters:

Examples
{{#invoke:String |findpagetext |text=Youghiogheny}} →
{{#invoke:String |findpagetext |text=Youghiogheny |nomatch=not found}} → not found
{{#invoke:String |findpagetext |text=Youghiogheny |title=Boston Bridge |nomatch=not found}} → not found
{{#invoke:String |findpagetext |text=river |title=Boston Bridge |nomatch=not found}} → not found
{{#invoke:String |findpagetext |text=[Rr]iver |title=Boston Bridge |plain=false |nomatch=not found}} → not found
{{#invoke:String |findpagetext |text=%[%[ |title=Boston Bridge |plain=f |nomatch=not found}} → not found
{{#invoke:String |findpagetext |text=%{%{[Cc]oord |title=Boston Bridge |plain=f |nomatch=not found}} → not found

The search is case-sensitive, so Lua pattern matching is needed to find river or River. The last example finds {{coord and {{Coord. The penultimate example finds a wiki-link.

replace (gsub)

This function allows one to replace a target string or pattern within another string. To Lua programmers: this function works internally by calling mw.ustring.gsub.

Usage:

{{#invoke:String|replace|source_str|pattern_string|replace_string|replacement_count|plain_flag}}

OR

{{#invoke:String|replace|source= source_string |pattern= pattern_string |replace= replace_string |count= replacement_count |plain= plain_flag }}

Parameters:

source
The string to search
pattern
The string or pattern to find within source
replace
The replacement text
count
The number of occurrences to replace; defaults to all
plain
Boolean flag indicating that pattern should be understood as plain text and not as a Scribunto ustring pattern (a unicode-friendly Lua-style regular expression); defaults to true

Examples:

rep

Repeats a string n times. A simple function to pipe string.rep to templates.

Usage:

{{#invoke:String|rep|source|count}}

Parameters:

source
The string to repeat
count
The number of repetitions.

Examples:

escapePattern

In a Lua pattern, changes a class character into a literal character. For example: in a pattern, character . catches "any character"; escapePattern will convert it to %., catching just the literal character ".".

Usage:

Parameters:

pattern_string
The pattern string to escape

Examples:

count

Counts the number of times a given pattern appears in the arguments that get passed on to this module. Counts disjoint matches only.

Usage:

{{#invoke:String|count|source_str|pattern_string|plain_flag}}

OR

{{#invoke:String|count|source= source_string |pattern= pattern_string|plain= plain_flag }}

Parameters:

source_string
The string to count occurrences in
pattern
The string or pattern to count occurrences of within source
plain
Boolean flag indicating that pattern should be understood as plain text and not as a Scribunto ustring pattern (a unicode-friendly Lua-style regular expression); defaults to true

Examples:

join

Joins all strings passed as arguments into one string, treating the first argument as a separator.

Usage:

{{#invoke:String|join|separator|string1|string2|...}}

Parameters:

separator
String that separates each string being joined together
Note that leading and trailing spaces are not stripped from the separator.
string1/string2/...
Strings being joined together

Examples:

The preceding example uses the html entity – but the unicode character also works.

endswith

Usage:

{{#invoke:String|endswith|source_str|search_string}}

OR

{{#invoke:String|endswith|source= source_string |pattern= search_string}}

Returns "yes" if the source string ends with the search string. Use named parameters to have the strings trimmed before use. Despite the parameter name, search_string is not a Lua pattern, it is interpreted literally.

Module source

local str = {}

function str.len( frame )
	local new_args = str._getParameters( frame.args, {'s'} )
	local s = new_args['s'] or ''
	return mw.ustring.len( s )
end

function str.sub( frame )
	local new_args = str._getParameters( frame.args, { 's', 'i', 'j' } )
	local s = new_args['s'] or ''
	local i = tonumber( new_args['i'] ) or 1
	local j = tonumber( new_args['j'] ) or -1
	
	local len = mw.ustring.len( s )
	
	-- Convert negatives for range checking
	if i < 0 then
		i = len + i + 1
	end
	if j < 0 then
		j = len + j + 1
	end
	
	if i > len or j > len or i < 1 or j < 1 then
		return str._error( 'String subset index out of range' )
	end
	if j < i then
		return str._error( 'String subset indices out of order' )
	end
	
	return mw.ustring.sub( s, i, j )
end

function str.sublength( frame )
	local i = tonumber( frame.args.i ) or 0
	local len = tonumber( frame.args.len )
	return mw.ustring.sub( frame.args.s, i + 1, len and ( i + len ) )
end

--[[
_match

This function returns a substring from the source string that matches a
specified pattern. It is exported for use in other modules

Usage:
strmatch = require("Module:String")._match
sresult = strmatch( s, pattern, start, match, plain, nomatch )

Parameters
    s: The string to search
    pattern: The pattern or string to find within the string
    start: The index within the source string to start the search.  The first
        character of the string has index 1.  Defaults to 1.
    match: In some cases it may be possible to make multiple matches on a single
        string.  This specifies which match to return, where the first match is
        match= 1.  If a negative number is specified then a match is returned
        counting from the last match.  Hence match = -1 is the same as requesting
        the last match.  Defaults to 1.
    plain: A flag indicating that the pattern should be understood as plain
        text.  Defaults to false.
    nomatch: If no match is found, output the "nomatch" value rather than an error.

For information on constructing Lua patterns, a form of [regular expression], see:

* http://www.lua.org/manual/5.1/manual.html#5.4.1
* http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:Scribunto/Lua_reference_manual#Patterns
* http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Extension:Scribunto/Lua_reference_manual#Ustring_patterns

]]
-- This sub-routine is exported for use in other modules
function str._match( s, pattern, start, match_index, plain_flag, nomatch )
	if s == '' then
		return str._error( 'Target string is empty' )
	end
	if pattern == '' then
		return str._error( 'Pattern string is empty' )
	end
	start = tonumber(start) or 1
	if math.abs(start) < 1 or math.abs(start) > mw.ustring.len( s ) then
		return str._error( 'Requested start is out of range' )
	end
	if match_index == 0 then
		return str._error( 'Match index is out of range' )
	end
	if plain_flag then
		pattern = str._escapePattern( pattern )
	end
	
	local result
	if match_index == 1 then
		-- Find first match is simple case
		result = mw.ustring.match( s, pattern, start )
	else
		if start > 1 then
			s = mw.ustring.sub( s, start )
		end
		
		local iterator = mw.ustring.gmatch(s, pattern)
		if match_index > 0 then
			-- Forward search
			for w in iterator do
				match_index = match_index - 1
				if match_index == 0 then
					result = w
					break
				end
			end
		else
			-- Reverse search
			local result_table = {}
			local count = 1
			for w in iterator do
				result_table[count] = w
				count = count + 1
			end
			
			result = result_table[ count + match_index ]
		end
	end
	
	if result == nil then
		if nomatch == nil then
			return str._error( 'Match not found' )
		else
			return nomatch
		end
	else
		return result
	end
end

function str.match( frame )
	local new_args = str._getParameters( frame.args, {'s', 'pattern', 'start', 'match', 'plain', 'nomatch'} )
	local s = new_args['s'] or ''
	local start = tonumber( new_args['start'] ) or 1
	local plain_flag = str._getBoolean( new_args['plain'] or false )
	local pattern = new_args['pattern'] or ''
	local match_index = math.floor( tonumber(new_args['match']) or 1 )
	local nomatch = new_args['nomatch']
	
	return str._match( s, pattern, start, match_index, plain_flag, nomatch )
end

function str.pos( frame )
	local new_args = str._getParameters( frame.args, {'target', 'pos'} )
	local target_str = new_args['target'] or ''
	local pos = tonumber( new_args['pos'] ) or 0
	
	if pos == 0 or math.abs(pos) > mw.ustring.len( target_str ) then
		return str._error( 'String index out of range' )
	end
	
	return mw.ustring.sub( target_str, pos, pos )
end

function str.find( frame )
	local new_args = str._getParameters( frame.args, {'source', 'target', 'start', 'plain' } )
	local source_str = new_args['source'] or ''
	local pattern = new_args['target'] or ''
	local start_pos = tonumber(new_args['start']) or 1
	local plain = new_args['plain'] or true
	
	if source_str == '' or pattern == '' then
		return 0
	end
	
	plain = str._getBoolean( plain )
	
	local start = mw.ustring.find( source_str, pattern, start_pos, plain )
	if start == nil then
		start = 0
	end
	
	return start
end

function str.replace( frame )
	local new_args = str._getParameters( frame.args, {'source', 'pattern', 'replace', 'count', 'plain' } )
	local source_str = new_args['source'] or ''
	local pattern = new_args['pattern'] or ''
	local replace = new_args['replace'] or ''
	local count = tonumber( new_args['count'] )
	local plain = new_args['plain'] or true
	
	if source_str == '' or pattern == '' then
		return source_str
	end
	plain = str._getBoolean( plain )
	
	if plain then
		pattern = str._escapePattern( pattern )
		replace = string.gsub( replace, "%%", "%%%%" ) --Only need to escape replacement sequences.
	end
	
	local result
	
	if count ~= nil then
		result = mw.ustring.gsub( source_str, pattern, replace, count )
	else
		result = mw.ustring.gsub( source_str, pattern, replace )
	end
	
	return result
end

function str.rep( frame )
	local repetitions = tonumber( frame.args[2] )
	if not repetitions then
		return str._error( 'function rep expects a number as second parameter, received "' .. ( frame.args[2] or '' ) .. '"' )
	end
	return string.rep( frame.args[1] or '', repetitions )
end

function str.escapePattern( frame )
	local pattern_str = frame.args[1]
	if not pattern_str then
		return str._error( 'No pattern string specified' )
	end
	local result = str._escapePattern( pattern_str )
	return result
end

function str.count(frame)
	local args = str._getParameters(frame.args, {'source', 'pattern', 'plain'})
	local source = args.source or ''
	local pattern = args.pattern or ''
	local plain = str._getBoolean(args.plain or true)
	if plain then
		pattern = str._escapePattern(pattern)
	end
	local _, count = mw.ustring.gsub(source, pattern, '')
	return count
end

function str.endswith(frame)
	local args = str._getParameters(frame.args, {'source', 'pattern'})
	local source = args.source or ''
	local pattern = args.pattern or ''
	if pattern == '' then
		-- All strings end with the empty string.
		return "yes"
	end
	if mw.ustring.sub(source, -mw.ustring.len(pattern), -1) == pattern then
		return "yes"
	else
		return ""
	end
end

function str.join(frame)
	local args = {}
	local sep
	for _, v in ipairs( frame.args ) do
		if sep then
			if v ~= '' then
				table.insert(args, v)
			end
		else
			sep = v
		end
	end
	return table.concat( args, sep or '' )
end

-- findpagetext returns the position of a piece of text in a page
-- First positional parameter or |text is the search text
-- Optional parameter |title is the page title, defaults to current page
-- Optional parameter |plain is either true for plain search (default) or false for Lua pattern search
-- Optional parameter |nomatch is the return value when no match is found; default is nil
function str._findpagetext(args)
	-- process parameters
	local nomatch = args.nomatch or ""
	if nomatch == "" then nomatch = nil end
	--
	local text = mw.text.trim(args[1] or args.text or "")
	if text == "" then return nil end
	--
	local title = args.title or ""
	local titleobj
	if title == "" then
		titleobj = mw.title.getCurrentTitle()
	else
		titleobj = mw.title.new(title)
	end
	--
	local plain = args.plain or ""
	if plain:sub(1, 1) == "f" then plain = false else plain = true end
	-- get the page content and look for 'text' - return position or nomatch
	local content = titleobj and titleobj:getContent()
	return content and mw.ustring.find(content, text, 1, plain) or nomatch
end
function str.findpagetext(frame)
	local args = frame.args
	local pargs = frame:getParent().args
	for k, v in pairs(pargs) do
		args[k] = v
	end
	if not (args[1] or args.text) then return nil end
	-- just the first value
	return (str._findpagetext(args))
end
--[[
Helper function that populates the argument list given that user may need to use a mix of
named and unnamed parameters.  This is relevant because named parameters are not
identical to unnamed parameters due to string trimming, and when dealing with strings
we sometimes want to either preserve or remove that whitespace depending on the application.
]]
function str._getParameters( frame_args, arg_list )
	local new_args = {}
	local index = 1
	local value
	
	for _, arg in ipairs( arg_list ) do
		value = frame_args[arg]
		if value == nil then
			value = frame_args[index]
			index = index + 1
		end
		new_args[arg] = value
	end
	
	return new_args
end

-- Helper function to handle error messages.
function str._error( error_str )
	local frame = mw.getCurrentFrame()
	local error_category = frame.args.error_category or 'Memory Alpha pages with Module:String errors'
	local ignore_errors = frame.args.ignore_errors or false
	local no_category = frame.args.no_category or false
	
	if str._getBoolean(ignore_errors) then
		return ''
	end
	
	local error_str = '<strong class="error">String Module Error: ' .. error_str .. '</strong>'
	if error_category ~= '' and not str._getBoolean( no_category ) then
		error_str = '[[Category:' .. error_category .. ']]' .. error_str
	end
	
	return error_str
end

-- Helper Function to interpret boolean strings
function str._getBoolean( boolean_str )
	local boolean_value
	
	if type( boolean_str ) == 'string' then
		boolean_str = boolean_str:lower()
		if boolean_str == 'false' or boolean_str == 'no' or boolean_str == '0'
				or boolean_str == '' then
			boolean_value = false
		else
			boolean_value = true
		end
	elseif type( boolean_str ) == 'boolean' then
		boolean_value = boolean_str
	else
		error( 'No boolean value found' )
	end
	return boolean_value
end

--[[
Helper function that escapes all pattern characters so that they will be treated
as plain text.
]]
function str._escapePattern( pattern_str )
	return ( string.gsub( pattern_str, "[%(%)%.%%%+%-%*%?%[%^%$%]]", "%%%0" ) )
end

return str