====== Using the Brackets Operator for Insertion ======

 


 
==== Description ====
 
Replaces a substring in //variable// with a specified string.
 
==== Syntax ====
 
//variable//[//start//, //length//] //= expression//
 
==== Parameters ====
 
The brackets operator has the following parameters when used for insertion. Use //start// and //length// to define the substring.

^Parameter^Description^
|//Start//|A positive or negative integer.\\  \\ \\ * If //start// is a positive number, the operation will begin at the character in the start position, counting right from the first character or space at the beginning of the string.\\  \\ * If //start// is a negative number, the operation will begin at the character in that position, counting left from the last character or space at the end of the string.\\  \\ * If //start// is 0 (zero) or 1, the operation will begin with the first character or space at the beginning of the string.\\ |
|//Length//|Number of characters to replace, beginning from start.\\ \\ Each space and character within the string is counted as a character position. Also, note that the value specified for //length// includes the character position specified by //start//.\\ \\  \\ \\ Note:  Length can be negative, signifying reverse order.|
|//expression//|Replaces the substring in //variable// that has been defined by the parameters //start// and //length//. If //expression// yields a string that is longer than the specified substring, the total string length of //variable// will increase. If //expression// yields a shorter string, then the total string length of //variable// decreases.\\ \\ In other words, the entire substring defined by //start// and //length// is replaced by whatever is the value of //expression//.\\ ||

 
==== Example ====
 
<code>
The following example The following example shows how to use the brackets operator for insertion.

* When LENGTH = 0. This yields "ABXXYYCDEF"
string = "ABCDEF"
string[-4,0] = "XXYY"


/* When LENGTH = negative number, the reverse order: yields "A123EF"  */
string = "ABCDEF"
string[4,-3] = "123"
</code>