String Manipulation Functions
- See also: Expression Language and Function Index
The functions in this section are used primarily to manipulate strings. Since the Media Center expression language is primarily string-oriented, these functions provide a means to manipulate field values or the output from other expressions.
Clean(…)
- Clean a string to be used for various operations.
| Description | Clean(string, mode)
The Clean() function is generally used to sanitize a string by stripping empty brackets, remove superfluous dash characters, eliminate leading or trailing articles, or replace filesystem-illegal characters. It is typically employed before some operation such as Rename to clean the product of joining various fields, some of which may be empty, or to produce filesystem-safe filenames. However, It may be used for a variety of purposes. Available mode values:
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| Examples | clean([album] - [date])
clean(The Beatles, 1)
clean(AC//DC: Back In Black, 3)
clean(\//:*?"<>|, 3)
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Extract(…)
- Returns a portion of a string bounded by another substring
| Description | Extract(Mode, SourceString, String1, String2)
The Extract() function allows for easy extraction of a portion of a SourceString based on surrounding strings. This is a task that would typically require the use Regular Expressions to achieve. Extract() allows for a much simpler, easier to follow and understand path to success for all, especially for those (the majority of us?) that find regular expressions a little overwhelming. Mode must be specified as there is no default. Available mode values:
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| Examples | Mode 2 - "Everything up to, but not including"
Extract(2,[Name], in)
Extract(6,[Name],-==,==-)
Extract(3,[Filename],[Composer])
Extract(104,Nocturne OP9 NO2,NO) |
Find(…)
- Finds a string or character in another string, returning its zero-based position in that string.
| Description | Find(Search, Find, Start, Flags)
If no match is found, the function returns a value of -1 Regardless of where in "Search" "Start" is initiated, the result is always zero-based, counting from the first character in "Search". When a match is found, the result returned is 'zero-based', meaning that if the result is zero, that points to the first character in "Search". This means that results will be compatible for use in combination with other zero-based functions, such as Mid(), for example. |
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| Examples | Find(John LenNon, N, 0, 0)
Find(John LenNon, N, 4, 0)
Find(John LenNon, N, 4, 2)
Find(John LenNon, N, 9, 3)
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FixCase(…)
- Changes the case of a given string.
| Description | FixCase(string, mode)
The FixCase() function will convert the supplied text string according to the specified mode. Available mode values:
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| Examples | fixcase(enjoy the silence)
fixcase(enjoy the silence, 1)
fixcase(MY ALbUm IS cAlLeD: adam, 4)
fixcase(MY ALbUm IS cAlLeD: adam, 5)
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FixSpacing(…)
- Intelligently splits adjacent camel-cased words.
| Description | FixSpacing(string, mode)
The FixSpacing() function inserts spaces between adjacent camel-cased words in string. It is useful for helping to clean and convert metadata that favors compactness over standard sentence structure. Available mode values:
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| Examples | fixspacing(OneWorld)
fixspacing([name], 1)
fixspacing(Another [name])
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Hexify(…)
- Hexifies a string to make it suitable for web usage.
| Description | Hexify(string)
The Hexify() function URI encodes a string to make it useable by a browser or search engine. Hexify() is typically used by expressions generating or working on URLs in Media Center's Link Manager. |
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| Examples | hexify(Oasis - /(What's The Story/) Morning Glory?)
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Left(…)
- Retrieves a specified number of characters from the left of a string.
| Description | Left(string, quantity)
The Left() function retrieves no more than quantity characters from the left of the string. |
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| Examples | left([filename], 3)
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Length(…)
- Returns the number of characters in a string.
| Description | Length(string)
The Length() function returns the number of characters contained in string. |
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| Examples | length(A Simple Plan)
if(compare(length([filename]), >=, 68), Long, Short)
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Letter(…)
- Returns the starting letter or letters of a given string.
| Description | Letter(string, number, mode)
The Letter() function returns the starting letter or letters of a given string, which can be given literally or as a library field. The function's mode defaults to "Ignore Articles", and for this, it uses the existing, user managed articles list. It also defaults to "number grouping", meaning that if the first character is a number, regardless of that number, a hash (#) is returned. Number specifies the number of starting characters to return, and defaults to one. Available mode values: These modes are useful when working with a selection of multiple files that may have a mix of articles and numbers and allow you to achieve whichever combination of results you require.
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| Examples | letter(10CC)
letter(10CC,2)
letter(10CC,2,1)
letter(The Band,2)
letter(The Band,2,3)
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Mid(…)
- Retrieves specified characters from a string.
| Description | Mid(string, start position, quantity, mode)
By default, the Mid() function returns a specified quantity of characters from the start position in string. It is also possible to return characters between two indices by specifying that the function operates in mode 1. When mode 1 is specified, quantity is taken as the end index and the function will return all characters from start, up to, but not including, end. The start position is 0-based (i.e. the first character is considered position 0). A quantify of -1 returns all characters from the start positionning to the end of string. |
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| Examples | mid(12345)
mid(12345, 1, 2)
mid(12345, 1, 3, 1)
Additional Examples: |
MoveArticles(…)
- Takes "The Beatles" and reverses it to "Beatles, The"
| Description | MoveArticles(string)
The MoveArticles() function is similar to the Swap() function, except that it operates on strings with prefixed articles (such as "The Beatles" or "A Flock of Seagulls".) |
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| Examples | MoveArticles(The Beatles)
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NoArticles(…)
- Takes "The Beatles" and returns "Beatles".
| Description | NoArticles(string)
Available string values:
Using the user defined list of articles found in Media Center options at "Tree & View > Sorting", the NoArticles() function removes any articles from a given string. | ||
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| Examples | NoArticles([Artist])
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PadLeft(…)
- Pads any given string to the left, with any given amount of any given character.
| Description | PadLeft(value, characters, padding)
See also: PadNumber() |
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| Examples | PadLeft(1,3)
PadLeft(1,3,0)
PadLeft(1,3,Padding-)
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PadRight(…)
- Pads any given string to the right, with any given amount of any given character.
| Description | PadRight(value, characters, padding)
See also: PadNumber() |
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| Examples | PadRight(1,3)
PadRight(1,3,0)
PadRight(1,3,Padding-)
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Regex(…)
- Regular expression pattern matching and capture.
| Description | regex(string, regexp, run mode, case sensitivity)
The Regex() function performs regular expression (RE) pattern matching on a string. The string is evaluated against the regular expression regexp, and run mode dictates the values output by Regex(). The three modes allow for match testing, capture output, silent operation or return all captures in a semicolon delimited string. Up to 9 match captures, one for each capture group, are placed into special variables referenced as [R1], [R2], ... [R9], which can be used in later in the expression. The contents of the captures [R1] ... [R9] are available until the end of the expression, or Regex() is run again, whereby they are replaced. Additional information is available regarding the full syntax and other implementation details. Available run mode values:
The case sensitivity argument toggles the case-sensitivity of regular expression matching. Note that case insensitivity does not apply to characters inside a character class [ ]. Use both uppercase and lowercase characters when necessary to match either case (e.g. [aAbB] to match either uppercase or lowercase A or B). Available case sensitivity values:
The regular expression language assigns special meaning to many characters. A few of these meta-characters, such as forward slash /, comma , and both ( and ) are also reserved and used by the Media Center expression language. To force the Media Center expression engine to ignore the meta-characters in regexp, surround the entire regular expression with /# #/. This is one of Media Center's escapements, which tells the expression engine to ignore everything inside, so that the entire, uninterpreted regexp can be provided to the Regex() regular expression evaluator. Although surrounding regexp by /# #/ is not necessary or required when no conflicting characters are in use, and you may manually escape the expression languages meta-characters with a forward slash /, it is probably a safe practice to always encase every regexp within /# #/. Argument run mode is optional (defaults to 0). Argument case sensitivity is optional (defaults to 0). Important Notes
Regex mode -2 was devised specifically to get around the above issues, without which, it would be almost impossible to deal with lists with a variable number of elements. | ||||||||||||
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| Examples | ifelse(regex([name], /#^(the|an|a)\b#/, 0, 1), Fix your case!)
Searches the name field for any of the lowercase articles the, and and a at the beginning of name, and outputs Fix your case! when the match succeeds. The run mode is 0 which is a test and capture mode, and case sensitivity is enabled. if(regex([artist], /#([[:punct:]])#/, 0), [R1] --> [Artist], No Punctuation) Using the default mode 0, Regex() will output a Boolean for use inside a conditional to cause some action to occur based on the match success or failure. This example matches against the artist field looking for any punctuation character. If the match succeeds (a punctuation character was found), that character is output followed by the string --> and the artist. In there was no match, the string No Punctuation is output. regex(D03T02 some track.mp3, /#^D(\d+)T(\d+)#/, 1)Disc: [R1], Track: [R2] The string is matched against the regexp that is looking for a D followed by any number of digits, followed by a T and then more digits. Those digits were captured, and later used to output the value Disc: 03, Track: 02. regex([filename (name)], /#^(\d+)-#/, -1)Track number is [R1] Using run mode -1, the file's name is pattern tested against the regexp which is looking for leading digits followed by a dash. Those digits are captured in buffer [R1] which is used later in the expression. If the file name was 2-foo.mp3, the output would be Track number is 2. regex([filename], /#(\d{1,2})\.(\d{1,2}).(\d{4})#/, -1)[R3]//[R1]//[R2] Matches and captures a date formatted as dd.mm.yyyy anywhere within the filename, and rearranges it in a standard format of yyyy/mm/dd. Since run mode is -1, no output occurs. However, captured match segments are made available for subsequent use. The three captures, [R1], [R2] and [R3] are arranged in the textual output so that we get the desired year/month/day ordering, such as 2011/08/19. Regex([Actors],/#([\w\s\.]+(?=\s\[))#/,-2) Where [Actors] is a semicolon delimited list of indeterminate length, and each list item contains the actor names followed by the character played in square brackets. For example: |
RemoveCharacters(…)
- Removes a list of characters from a string.
| Description | removecharacters(string, character list, mode)
The RemoveCharacters() function will remove from string any characters in the character list. The characters removed depend upon the mode specified. The function operates in a case-sensitive manner. Available mode values:
Argument mode is optional (defaults to 0). | ||||||||
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| Examples | removecharacters(Paper, Ppr)
Removes P, p, and r from Paper, resulting in ae. The default mode 0 is in effect, removing all instances of the characters specified in the character list. removecharacters(Paper, Ppr, 1) With mode 1 set, only the initial character P is removed, resulting in aper. removecharacters(Paper, Ppr, 2) In mode 2, only one character from the end of the string are removed, leaving "Pape. removecharacters(Paper, Ppr, 3) Both the front and back are affected in mode 3, causing the removal of the leading P and trailing r resulting in ape. removecharacters([artist], /(/)) Removes any ( and ) characters from anywhere within the [artist] field. |
RemoveLeft(…)
- Trims characters from the beginning of a string.
| Description | removeleft(string, quantity)
The RemoveLeft() function removes a specified quantity of characters from the left side of a string. If the quantity is larger than the length of the string, the output will be empty. |
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| Examples | removeleft(Good Deeds, 5)
Removes the first 5 characters from resulting in Deeds being output. |
RemoveRight(…)
- Trims characters from the end of a string
| Description | removeright(string, quantity)
The RemoveRight() function removes a specified quantity of characters from the right side of a string. If the quantity is larger than the length of the string, the output will be empty. |
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| Examples | removeright(03-02-1959,5)
Removes the last 5 characters from the given date, leaving only the month and year 03-02. |
Replace(…)
- Replace or remove a string segment.
| Description | Replace(String, Find, Replace, Mode)
Available mode values:
The Replace() function replaces all instances of Find within String, with Replace. If Replace is unspecified, it defaults to an empty value, causing Find to be removed. By default, Replace() operates in a case-sensitive manner, but can be switched to case-insensitive operation by specifying Mode 1. | ||||
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| Examples | Replace(The Daily Show with John Oliver, hn Oliver, n Stewart)
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|- valign="top" ! scope="row" style="background: #ecedf3; color: #111; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 1px 2px 2px; border-top: 1px solid #bbb; border-right: 1px solid #bbb;" | Examples |style="background: #f9f9f9; color: #111; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px 2px 2px 0; border-top: 1px solid #bbb;" | replace(The Daily Show with John Oliver, hn Oliver, n Stewart)
Now that John Oliver has completed his summer stand-in for Jon Stewart, it is time for a replacement. The old sequence hn Oliver will be replaced with the new sequence n Stewart, resulting in The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
replace(Sample String, s, Replaced)
In this example, the original string does not contain the old value s anywhere, so no replacement occurs and the original string is returned.
replace(Led Zeppelin.[remastered], .[remastered])
Removes the trailing old value .[remastered] from the original string, resulting in Led Zeppelin. Because no new string is specified, the default empty value is used as a replacement, effectively stripping the old value.
|}
Right(…)
- Retrieves a specified number of characters from the right of a string.
| Description | right(string, quantity)
The Right() function retrieves the specified quantity of characters from the right of the string. If quantity is larger than the length of string, the original string is returned. |
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| Examples | right([filename], 3)
Returns the last three characters from the filename (typically this is the file's suffix). |
Swap(…)
- Takes Firstname Lastname and swaps to Lastname, Firstname.
| Description | Swap(string)
The Swap() function is used to reverse the order of a personal name in a string (converting Firstname Lastname into Lastname, Firstname). The function has special handling for strings that end with Jr., Sr., I, II, III, IV, V (so that these common suffixes are handled properly), and it can also handle semicolon-delimited string lists (such as [Artist], [Actors], and [Director]). |
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| Examples | swap(Paul Simon)
swap(Sammy Davis Jr.)
swap(Paul Simon; Art Garfunkel)
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Trim(…)
- Removes leading and trailing non-printable characters and new lines from a given string.
| Description | Trim(string)
The Trim() function takes any given string, removing any leading and trailing non-printable characters and new lines |
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| Examples | Trim([Lyrics]) |
TrimLines(…)
- Removes leading, trailing and double new lines from a given string.
| Description | TrimLines(string, mode)
The TrimLines() function can remove leading, trailing and double newlines from a given string, which can be given literally or as a library field. The function's mode defaults to removing all three, mode 3. Available mode values:
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| Examples | TrimLines([Lyrics])
TrimLines([Lyrics],2)
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UnMoveArticles(…)
- Takes "Beatles, The" and reverses it to restore the normal word order, "The Beatles"
| Description | UnMoveArticles(string)
The UnMoveArticles() function is the opposite of the MoveArticles() function. It is used to restore the normal order of an band name with a prefix article in a string (converting Beatles, The into The Beatles). |
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| Examples | UnMoveArticles(Flock of Seagulls, A)
Please Note: These examples were simplified and ignore the commas in the string arguments. For these expressions to work properly (when entered directly), you would need to escape the comma in the string literal: UnMoveArticles(Beatles/, The). However, this function is typically used with a field value (or the output of another function), and would therefore be treated as a single argument even if the resulting string contains a comma. See Function Arguments for further details. |
Unswap(…)
- Takes Lastname, Firstname and reverses it to Firstname Lastname.
| Description | Unswap(string)
The Unswap() function is the opposite of the Swap() function. It is used to restore the normal western-style order of a personal name in a string (converting Lastname, Firstname into Firstname Lastname). This command also works properly with semicolon-delimited list data (such as the [Artist] field), and like the Swap() command, it handles common name suffixes such as Jr., Sr., I, II, III, IV, V, etc. |
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| Examples | Unswap(Simon, Paul)
Unswap(Simon, Paul; Garfunkel, Art)
Please Note: These examples were simplified and ignore the commas in the string arguments. For these expressions to work properly (when entered directly), you would need to escape the comma in the string literal: Unswap(Simon/, Paul; Garfunkel/, Art). However, this function is typically used with a field value (or the output of another function), and would therefore be treated as a single argument even if the resulting string contains a comma. See Function Arguments for further details. |
Urlify(…)
- Takes a string and applies html formatting for browser consumption
| Description | Urlify(string)
The Urlify() function takes a given string and outputs with HTML formatting suitable for browser consumption. This function is typically used by expressions generating or working on URLs in Media Center's Link Manager. It does not apply full formatting, for example, spaces remain as spaces, therefore, better mileage may be found using the Hexify() function. |
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| Examples | https:////www.metacritic.com//search//movie//urlify(Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw)//results
|