ClearRepeatingVariable ( variableName ; startIndex ; endIndex )

Clears a range of repetitions for a specified variable

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Kevin Frank - Show more from this author
Kevin Frank & Associates
https://filemakerhacks.com

Sample input:

ClearRepeatingVariable ( "$$test" ; 1 ; 3 )

Sample output:

None... but if $$test, $$test[2] and $$test[3] existed previously, they no longer will.

Function definition: (Copy & paste into FileMaker's Edit Custom Function window)

/* Author: Kevin Frank       Last revised: 11/11/11
    Purpose: Clears the specified range of repetitions for a specified variable
    Example: ClearRepeatingVariable ( "$$test" ; 1 ; 3 )
    ...(make sure to enclose the variable name in double quotes) 
    ...this will clear $$test, $$test[2] and $$test[3]  (there is no negative consequence if they don't exist)
     Inspired by and based on Sam Barnum's JoinRepeatingVariable CF
*/

Let ( startIndex = Max ( 1 ; startIndex ) ;

    Evaluate ( "Let ( " & variableName & "[" & startIndex & "] = \"\" ; \"\" )" ) & 

    Case (
        endIndex < 0 ; "" ;
        endIndex ≥ 0 and startIndex  ≥ endIndex ; "" ;
        clearRepeatingVariable ( variableName ; startIndex + 1 ; endIndex )
    )

)

I recently found myself needing to clear a whole bunch of repeating variables, and wrote this CF to make my life easier.

Comments

		Bob Dec 8, 2011
Again, If I ClearRepeatingVariable ( "$$test" ; 3 ; 1 ) that would only clear rep 3?

		Kevin Frank, Kevin Frank & Associates Dec 8, 2011
ClearRepeatingVariable ( "$$test" ; 3 ; 3 )

		Howard Schlossberg, FM Professional Solutions Aug 14, 2015
Thanks for this, Kevin. I tweaked it slightly to meet my current need, which is that I don't KNOW what my endIndex is. I DO know that there will never be blanks, so I added an option so that it will keep clearing repetitions until it gets to the first blank and it can then assume it is at the end. A simple change that may be helpful to someone... /* Howard added: if endIndex = "end" then keep going until the FIRST blank repetition */ Let ( startIndex = Max ( 1 ; startIndex ) ; Evaluate ( "Let ( " & variableName & "[" & startIndex & "] = \"\" ; \"\" )" ) & Case ( endIndex < 0 and endIndex <> "end" ; "" ; endIndex â‰¥ 0 and startIndex â‰¥ endIndex ; "" ; endIndex = "end" and IsEmpty( Evaluate( variableName & "[" & startIndex+1 & "]" ) ) ; "" ; ClearRepeatingVariable ( variableName ; startIndex + 1 ; endIndex ) ) )

Note: these functions are not guaranteed or supported by BrianDunning.com. Please contact the individual developer with any questions or problems.

ClearRepeatingVariable ( variableName ; startIndex ; endIndex )

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