This is probably what you want: > sub("^[[:space:]]*", "", " Now is the time") [1] "Now is the time" >
You need to anchor it at the beginning with '^' On Sat, Jun 12, 2010 at 10:29 AM, Megh Dal <megh700...@yahoo.com> wrote: > Thanks Erik for you reply. You have pointed correctly I want to remove the > "space" at the 1st place (if any). In the mean time I have looked into the > function sub() and there seems to be one example that mimics my problem : >> str <- ' Now is the time '> sub('[[:space:]]+$', '', str)[1] " Now >> is the time" > > However it removes the space if it is at the last position. I have tried with > different combinations like "sub('[[:space:]]-$', '', str)", > "sub('$+[[:space:]]+$', '', str)" etc, none is working if space is at the 1st > position. > What would be the correct approach? > Thanks, > --- On Sat, 6/12/10, Erik Iverson <er...@ccbr.umn.edu> wrote: > > From: Erik Iverson <er...@ccbr.umn.edu> > Subject: Re: [R] Handling character string > To: "Megh Dal" <megh700...@yahoo.com> > Cc: r-h...@stat.math.ethz.ch > Date: Saturday, June 12, 2010, 2:36 AM > > > > Megh Dal wrote: >> Dear all, Is there any R function to say these 2 character strings >> "temp" and " temp" are actually same? If I type following code R >> says there are indeed different : >>> "temp" == " temp"[1] FALSE > > You don't say how you're defining "same", but it definitely requires more > explanation, since they are not the same. Why should those two strings be > the same in your mind? Do you want to remove leading white space, all white > space, just one space, etc? > > You might find the examples in ?sub useful. > > > > > > > [[alternative HTML version deleted]] > > > ______________________________________________ > R-help@r-project.org mailing list > https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help > PLEASE do read the posting guide http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html > and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code. > > -- Jim Holtman Cincinnati, OH +1 513 646 9390 What is the problem that you are trying to solve? ______________________________________________ R-help@r-project.org mailing list https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help PLEASE do read the posting guide http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code.