ListRemoveBlanks ( InList )

Remove blank lines from list (and any beginning or ending returns). Not recursive.

Be the first to rate this function Log in to vote

Richard DeShong - Show more from this author
Logic Tools
http://logictools.com

Sample input:

ListRemoveBlanks( "¶Line2¶¶¶Line5¶" )

Sample output:

"Line2¶Line5"

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

Let([
   ~u = Get( UUID ) ;
   InList = Substitute( InList ; [ " " ; ~u ] ; [ "¶" ; " " ] ) ;
   InList = TrimAll( InList ; 1 ; 1 )
] ;
   Substitute( InList ; [ " " ; "¶" ] ; [ ~u ; " " ] )
)
/*
   Removes all blank lines from the given list.

   1) Substitutes spaces with UUID (this is a preservation step),
      then it substitutes returns with spaces.
   2) TrimAll() reduces consecutive spaces to one (removing blank lines),
      and removes any leading or trailing spaces (begin/end blank lines).
   3) Substitutes spaces with returns, and UUID's with spaces.

   Note: If using to process large lists with a lot of spaces,
   it could save time to replace Get(UUID) with a shorter string,
   such as: ###AAA$$$999***
*/

Give it a return-delimited list and it will remove any blank values (lines).
It also removes returns (blank lines) at the beginning or end of the list.

Note about authorship:
This was emailed to the fmpExpertsList by Kevin Frank. I just turned it into a CF.

Comments

		RealGrouchy Apr 15, 2026
Thanks for this! FYI, missing a ~ before the u in the last part of the Let.

		Richard DeShong, Logic Tools Apr 15, 2026
Thank you, RealGrouchy. I've fixed u to ~u.

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

ListRemoveBlanks ( InList )

Comments

Support this website.

Support this website.