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Reference · stzString

ReplaceLeadingChars()

ReplaceLeadingChars(:With = pcNew) -- collapse the leading run of a single repeated char into one instance of pcNew. Examples: "___VAR---" + :With="*" -> "*VAR---" "aaaaHELLO" + :With="A" -> "AHELLO" If there's no run (the first 2 chars differ), the string is returned unchanged.

Basic examples (2)

Softanza
o1 = new stzString("aaaaah Tunisia---")
o1.ReplaceLeadingChars(:With = "O")
# a-run collapsed to O
? o1.Content()
o1.ReplaceTrailingChars(:With = "!")
# dash-run collapsed to !
? o1.Content()
Output
Oh Tunisia---
Oh Tunisia!

run on 2026-10-02 04:24 inside the library at commit 0e72e2e2c; taken from 780_content.ring(opens in a new tab)

Softanza
o1 = new stzString("___VAR---")
o1.ReplaceLeadingChars(:With = "*")
# leading run collapsed
? o1.Content()
o2 = new stzString("___VAR---")
o2.ReplaceTrailingChars(:With = "*")
# trailing run collapsed
? o2.Content()
o3 = new stzString("___VAR---")
o3.ReplaceLeadingAndTrailingChars(:With = "*")
# both at once
? o3.Content()
Output
*VAR---
___VAR*
*VAR*

run on 2026-10-02 04:24 inside the library at commit 0e72e2e2c; taken from 772_content.ring(opens in a new tab)

Scope (1)

Softanza
o1 = new stzString("Oooooh TunisiammMmmM")
o1.ReplaceLeadingChars(:With = "O")
# case-sensitive: nothing to replace
? o1.Content()
o1.ReplaceTrailingChars(:With = "!")
# same at the tail
? o1.Content()
o2 = new stzString("Oooooh TunisiammMmmM")
o2.ReplaceLeadingCharsCS(:With = "O", :CaseSensitive = FALSE)
# case-blind: Ooooo collapses to O
? o2.Content()
o2.ReplaceTrailingCharsCS(:With = "!", :CaseSensitive = FALSE)
# ... and mmMmmM to !
? o2.Content()
Output
Oooooh TunisiammMmmM
Oooooh TunisiammMmmM
Oh TunisiammMmmM
Oh Tunisia!

run on 2026-10-02 04:24 inside the library at commit 0e72e2e2c; taken from 781_content.ring(opens in a new tab)

The extensions of this method

Each extension, and whether it exists for this method; an extension that exists combines with the others (FindSTCS).

Extension
Exists
What it adds · The names
Q
yes
does what the method does, then returns the object, so the call can be chained · ReplaceLeadingCharsQ, ReplaceLeadingCharsCSQ
QQ
no
chains on the next, more specific type of object (the Q ladder)
QQQ
no
chains on the most specific type of object (the Q ladder)
QRT
no
returns the result as an object of the requested type
CS
yes
takes a case-sensitivity flag · ReplaceLeadingCharsCS, ReplaceLeadingCharsCSQ
ST
no
takes the position to start from (StartingAt)
IB
no
takes bounds that are included (IncludingBounds)
XT
no
the extended form: more parameters than the base method
XTT
no
yet another extension: a further extended form, after XT
Z
no
includes the position in what it returns
ZZ
no
returns positions as sections, [start, end]
W
no
selects by a condition
WF
no
selects by a condition, with the expressive keywords (@NextItem, @PreviousItem...)
D
no
takes a direction, forward or backward (Directional)
F
no
takes a function (the condition or the update is given as a function); the forms document also uses F for the future form, which defers the action
Many
no
works on a collection of items instead of one (the plural form)
Except
no
takes exceptions, what to leave out (the exceptional form)
U
no
returns the result without duplication

Every example is a test file of the library, run inside the library for this page; only those whose output kept every promise their file wrote are shown.

See also