CFLib.org – Common Function Library Project

Description:
This function allows you to display n number of characters from a string with out cutting of in the middle of the word. The function will display a link at the end of the string if it is longer than the number of characters desired and the optional url argument is not empty.

Return Values:
Returns a string.

Example:

<cfset mystring = "here is a string with some chars">
<cfoutput>#FormatTeaser(mystring,11,"http://www.yahoo.com")#</cfoutput>

Parameters:

Full UDF Source:

/**
 * Displays n number of characters from a string without cutting off in the middle of a word
 * Code used from FullLeft
 * 
 * @param string      String to be modified. (Required)
 * @param number      Number of characters to include in teaser. (Required)
 * @param urlArgument      URL to use for 'more' link. (Optional)
 * @return Returns a string. 
 * @author Bryan LaPlante (blaplante@netwebapps.com) 
 * @version 3, July 31, 2003 
 */
function FormatTeaser(string,number){
    var urlArgument = "";
    var shortString = "";
    
    //return quickly if string is short or no spaces at all
    if(len(string) lte number or not refind("[[:space:]]",string)) return string;
    
    if(arrayLen(arguments) gt 2) urlArgument = "... <a href=""" & arguments[3] & """>[more]</a>";

    //Full Left code (http://www.cflib.org/udf.cfm?ID=329)
    if(reFind("[[:space:]]",mid(string,number+1,1))) {
          shortString = left(string,number);
    } else { 
        if(number-refind("[[:space:]]", reverse(mid(string,1,number)))) shortString = Left(string, (number-refind("[[:space:]]", reverse(mid(string,1,number))))); 
        else shortString = left(str,1);
    }
    
    return shortString & urlArgument;

}