Replace First N Occurrences in the String

Question

How can I replace first N occurrences of many whitespaces and tabs in the following string:

07/12/2017  11:01 AM             21523 filename with         


        

Answer 1

What about recursive version of you own solution?

function repalceLeadSpaces(str, substitution, n) {
    n = n || 0;
    if (!str || n <= 0) {
        return str;
    }
    str = str.replace(/\s+/, substitution);
    return n === 1 ? str : repalceLeadSpaces(str, substitution, n - 1)
}