RemoveValue ( listOfValues ; valueToRemove )

Removes all instances of a value from given list, disregarding case

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Douglas Faneuil - Show more from this author
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Sample input:

RemoveValue ( "CAT¶cat¶Dog¶Cat¶Horse¶" ; "cat" )

Sample output:

"Dog¶Horse"

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

If ( IsEmpty ( valueToRemove ) ; listOfValues ; 

 Let ( [ 

  stack = ¶ & SuperTrim ( listOfValues ) & ¶ ; 

  val_A = GetValue ( valueToRemove ; 1 ) ; 
  val_U = Upper ( val_A ) ; 
  val_L = Lower ( val_A ) ; 
  val_P = Proper ( val_A ) ; 

  val1 = ¶ & List ( val_A ; val_A ; val_A ) & ¶ ; 
  val2 = ¶ & List ( val_U ; val_U ; val_U ) & ¶ ; 
  val3 = ¶ & List ( val_L ; val_L ; val_L ) & ¶ ; 
  val4 = ¶ & List ( val_P ; val_P ; val_P ) & ¶ ; 

  val5 = ¶ & List ( val_A ; val_A ) & ¶ ; 
  val6 = ¶ & List ( val_U ; val_U ) & ¶ ; 
  val7 = ¶ & List ( val_L ; val_L ) & ¶ ; 
  val8 = ¶ & List ( val_P ; val_P ) & ¶ ; 

  val9 = ¶ & val_A & ¶ ; 
  val10 = ¶ & val_U & ¶ ; 
  val11 = ¶ & val_L & ¶ ; 
  val12 = ¶ & val_P & ¶ ; 

  pass_one = If ( IsEmpty ( val_A ) ; listOfValues ; 
   SuperTrim ( Substitute ( stack ; 
    [ val1 ; ¶ ] ; 
    [ val2 ; ¶ ] ; 
    [ val3 ; ¶ ] ; 
    [ val4 ; ¶ ] ; 
    [ val5 ; ¶ ] ; 
    [ val6 ; ¶ ] ; 
    [ val7 ; ¶ ] ; 
    [ val8 ; ¶ ] ; 
    [ val9 ; ¶ ] ; 
    [ val10 ; ¶ ] ; 
    [ val11 ; ¶ ] ; 
    [ val12 ; ¶ ] ) ) ) ; 

  pass_two = If ( IsEmpty ( val_A ) or IsEmpty ( FilterValues ( pass_one ; val_A ) ) ; pass_one ; 
   SuperTrim ( Substitute ( pass_one ; 
    [ val1 ; ¶ ] ; 
    [ val2 ; ¶ ] ; 
    [ val3 ; ¶ ] ; 
    [ val4 ; ¶ ] ; 
    [ val5 ; ¶ ] ; 
    [ val6 ; ¶ ] ; 
    [ val7 ; ¶ ] ; 
    [ val8 ; ¶ ] ; 
    [ val9 ; ¶ ] ; 
    [ val10 ; ¶ ] ; 
    [ val11 ; ¶ ] ; 
    [ val12 ; ¶ ] ) ) ) ] ; 

pass_two

 )
)

This function removes a specified value from a given list without recursion:

• no matter how many times it appears
• no matter how many repeating (stacked) instances exist*
• no matter the case**

*Technically, this function can handle up to 426 repeating instances before failing (ie, leaving a value intact). This limit only applies to back-to-back values (eg, "Cat¶Cat¶Cat"). Otherwise, there's no limit; I've tested more than 100K removals successfully.

**With regard to case, four arrangements get removed: all caps, all lower, titlecase, and as-input. Funky entries like "PeoPLe" will be skipped unless specified.

Note! This function contains another function — SuperTrim ( text ) — which is used to trim lists of leading/trailing carriage returns (¶). All lists get trimmed in the end.

Finally, I wrote this because a lot of similar functions were failing to remove instances of back-to-back values, especially those topping a list. And I wanted various cases to be addressed as well. No attribution necessary. Enjoy!

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

RemoveValue ( listOfValues ; valueToRemove )

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