LEFT-JUSTIFY

Purpose

Returns the string that results from removing leading blanks from the left side of a string value, shifting the remainder of the string value to the left side, then filling the right side with as many blanks as were removed from the left side.

Syntax

►►─┬─ LEFT-JUSTIFY ─┬─ ( string ) ────────────────────────────────────────────►◄
   ├─ LEFT-just ────┤
   └─ LEFJUS ───────┘

Parameters

string

Specifies the string value on which the left justify function is performed.

String can be:

A string literal, enclosed in single quotation marks
The name of a user-defined variable data field containing the string

Example

In the following example, the left justify function is used to left justify EMP-LNAME (PIC X(20)):

Initial value:
    EMP-LNAME: '     SMITH          '
Statement:
    MOVE LEFT-JUSTIFY(EMP-LNAME) TO EMP-LNAME.
Returned string:
    'SMITH              '