substring/subistring functions

[AdsarAdam]

Functions and supporting tests for substring and case-insensitive subistring functions.

Returns a trim'd portion of the string found between two strings.

[vdelau]

The function name substring is very misleading, as I think most people will think of substr and its behaviour. I could see how such a function is useful, but it should be named differently.

[literary-programmer]

Hello @vdelau, Javascrip too has this name. It has substr and substring both, and people are used to of using these functions. See the following entry in MDN docs. https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/String/substring
Regards

[vdelau]

Hi @literary-programmer, the proposed functions would not take integer characters position (or lengths), but strings to look up in the string. The JavaScript functions you mention differ in the sense that they are (start, end) vs (start, length). The proposed function would be more like this:

function substring(string $haystack, string $from, string $to): string
{
    $start = strpos($haystack, $from) + strlen($from);
    $end = strpos($haystack, $to, $start);
    return substr($haystack, $start, $end - $start);
}

(Code is for illustration, not tested or verified against implementation.)

[mikeschinkel]

I am struggling to think of when I would use these and not just use preg_replace(). In large part because preg_replace() can handle many different match patterns and can support regular expression matching. Rhese functions can only handle one match pattern with no wildcards. I can't remember a time I would use them. #jmtcw

[literary-programmer]

Thanks @vdelau for making it clear. Now, I do second your first opinion. Even other languages beside js do have the similar function signature. I suggest to make the substring function similar to what is found in the other languages. Because the strpos and stripos already exist in PHP, we don't need such a function that takes string parameters. If Substring is introduced as it exists in the other languages, it would be worth. Moreover, this function will then have a wider scope. Substr has following shortcomings: 1. It requires a length instead of an index. Therefore, to achieve the substring effect, devs have to perform some math. 2. The length is different from the index positions. Therefore, math always comes in. And, I don't wish to see another misleading function in PHP like sizeof! The substring function must behave like following: `$scheme = substring($url, 0, strpos(':'));` If one still wants to add such functions, they should not be named subistring and substring. Regards

…

On 1/15/21, Mike Schinkel ***@***.***> wrote: I am struggling to think of when I would use these and not just use `preg_replace()`. In large part because `preg_replace()` can handle many different match patterns and can support regular expression matching. Rhese functions can only handle one match pattern with no wildcards. I can't remember a time I would use them. #jmtcw -- You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub: #6602 (comment)

[nikic]

Mailing list thread: https://externals.io/message/112864

[cmb69]

What's the status here? Are you planning to draft an RFC?

[iluuu1994]

Closing as there was no response.

[AdsarAdam]

Hi all - apologies for not replying, completely missed the notifications here.
Anyway - final thoughts were this would be easier supplied in userland as opposed to doing anything in core - thanks all :)