LTrim, LTrim$ Functions

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Named Arguments

No

Syntax

LTrim(stringexp)

stringexp

Use: Required

Data Type: String

A valid string expression.

Return Value

A Variant of subtype String (in the case of LTrim) or a String (in the case of LTrim$).

Description

Removes any leading spaces from stringexp.

Rules at a Glance

• LTrim returns a variant of subtype String.

• LTrim$ returns a String data type.

• If stringexp contains a Null, LTrim returns Null.

Programming Tips and Gotchas

• Unless you need to keep trailing spaces, it's best to use the Trim function, which is the equivalent of LTrim(RTrim(string)). This allows you to remove both leading and trailing spaces in a single function call.

• Although I have seen it done, it's extremely unwise to create data relationships that rely on leading spaces. Most string-based data types in relational database management systems like SQL Server and Access automatically remove leading spaces.

See Also

RTrim Function, Trim Function