CFLib.org – Common Function Library Project

Description:
Returns either a formatted value (wrapped within begin_str and end_str) or the passed default string. Useful for wrapping non-empty values in parenthesis, or in anchor tags, or for other similar conditional formattings.

Return Values:
Returns a string.

Example:

<cfset email   = "me@host.com">
<cfset email2  = "">

<cfoutput>
#FormattedValueOrString("<A HREF='mailto:#email#'>", email, "</A>", "(unspecified)")#<br>
#FormattedValueOrString("<A HREF='mailto:#email2#'>", email2, "</A>", "(unspecified)")#<br>
</cfoutput>

Parameters:

Full UDF Source:

/**
 * Returns either a formatted value or the passed default string.
 * 
 * @param begin_str      String to prepend to output. (Required)
 * @param str      Variable to check. (Required)
 * @param end_str      String to append to output. (Required)
 * @param default_str      String to return if  str is empty. (Required)
 * @return Returns a string. 
 * @author Shawn Seley (shawnse@aol.com) 
 * @version 1, June 26, 2002 
 */
function FormattedValueOrString(begin_str, str, end_str, default_str) {
    if (str IS "") return default_str;
    return begin_str & str & end_str;
}