What's the best way to trim std::string?

Question

I\'m currently using the following code to right-trim all the std::strings in my programs:

std::string s;
s.erase(s.find_last_not_of(\" \\n\\r\\         


        

Answer 1

This version trims internal whitespace and non-alphanumerics:

static inline std::string &trimAll(std::string &s)
{   
    if(s.size() == 0)
    {
        return s;
    }

    int val = 0;
    for (int cur = 0; cur < s.size(); cur++)
    {
        if(s[cur] != ' ' && std::isalnum(s[cur]))
        {
            s[val] = s[cur];
            val++;
        }
    }
    s.resize(val);
    return s;
}

Answer 2

http://ideone.com/nFVtEo

std::string trim(const std::string &s)
{
    std::string::const_iterator it = s.begin();
    while (it != s.end() && isspace(*it))
        it++;

    std::string::const_reverse_iterator rit = s.rbegin();
    while (rit.base() != it && isspace(*rit))
        rit++;

    return std::string(it, rit.base());
}

Answer 3

Here is my version:

size_t beg = s.find_first_not_of(" \r\n");
return (beg == string::npos) ? "" : in.substr(beg, s.find_last_not_of(" \r\n") - beg);

Answer 4

Here is a straight forward implementation. For such a simple operation, you probably should not be using any special constructs. The build-in isspace() function takes care of various forms of white characters, so we should take advantage of it. You also have to consider special cases where the string is empty or simply a bunch of spaces. Trim left or right could be derived from the following code.

string trimSpace(const string &str) {
   if (str.empty()) return str;
   string::size_type i,j;
   i=0;
   while (i<str.size() && isspace(str[i])) ++i;
   if (i == str.size())
      return string(); // empty string
   j = str.size() - 1;
   //while (j>0 && isspace(str[j])) --j; // the j>0 check is not needed
   while (isspace(str[j])) --j
   return str.substr(i, j-i+1);
}

Answer 5

What you are doing is fine and robust. I have used the same method for a long time and I have yet to find a faster method:

const char* ws = " \t\n\r\f\v";

// trim from end of string (right)
inline std::string& rtrim(std::string& s, const char* t = ws)
{
    s.erase(s.find_last_not_of(t) + 1);
    return s;
}

// trim from beginning of string (left)
inline std::string& ltrim(std::string& s, const char* t = ws)
{
    s.erase(0, s.find_first_not_of(t));
    return s;
}

// trim from both ends of string (right then left)
inline std::string& trim(std::string& s, const char* t = ws)
{
    return ltrim(rtrim(s, t), t);
}

By supplying the characters to be trimmed you have the flexibility to trim non-whitespace characters and the efficiency to trim only the characters you want trimmed.

Answer 6

Try this, it works for me.

inline std::string trim(std::string& str)
{
    str.erase(0, str.find_first_not_of(' '));       //prefixing spaces
    str.erase(str.find_last_not_of(' ')+1);         //surfixing spaces
    return str;
}