LTRIM

Trims leading whitespace from a string.

See also TRIM, RTRIM.

Syntax

LTRIM( expr )

Arguments

Parameter

Description

expr

String expression

Returns

Returns the same type as the argument supplied.

Notes

  • This function is equivalent to the ANSI form TRIM( LEADING FROM expr )

  • If the value is NULL, the result is NULL.

Examples

For these examples, consider the following table and contents:

CREATE TABLE jabberwocky(line TEXT(50));

INSERT INTO jabberwocky VALUES
   ('''Twas brillig, and the slithy toves'), ('      Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:')
   ,('All mimsy were the borogoves,'), ('      And the mome raths outgrabe.')
   ,('"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!'), ('      The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!')
   ,('Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun'), ('      The frumious Bandersnatch!"');

Trimming a literal value

t=> SELECT LTRIM('            SQream DB');
ltrim
---------
SQream DB

Trimming a column of values

In this example we use || (Concatenate) to show the leading spaces.

t=> SELECT ('Line: ' || line) as untrimmed, ('Line: ' || LTRIM(line)) as trimmed FROM jabberwocky;
untrimmed                                             | trimmed
------------------------------------------------------+------------------------------------------------
Line: 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves             | Line: 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Line:       Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:          | Line: Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
Line: All mimsy were the borogoves,                   | Line: All mimsy were the borogoves,
Line:       And the mome raths outgrabe.              | Line: And the mome raths outgrabe.
Line: "Beware the Jabberwock, my son!                 | Line: "Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
Line:       The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! | Line: The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Line: Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun                | Line: Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
Line:       The frumious Bandersnatch!"               | Line: The frumious Bandersnatch!"