etl/docs/strings/string.md
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title
basic_string

{{< callout type="info">}} Header:
string.h
wstring.h
u8string.h
u16string.h
u32string.h
Similar to:
std::string
std::wstring
std::u8string
std::u16string
std::u32string {{< /callout >}}

Fixed capacity string classes.

etl::string<size_t Size>
etl::wstring<size_t Size>
etl::u8string<size_t Size>
etl::u16string<size_t Size>
etl::u32string<size_t Size>
etl::string_ext
etl::wstring_ext
etl::u16string_ext
etl::u32string_ext

Inherits from etl::istring, etl::iwstring, etl::iu8string, etl::iu16string or etl::iu32string.
The base classes may be used as a size independent pointer or reference type for any string instance.

Has the ability to be copied by low level functions such as memcpy by use of a repair() function.
See the function reference for an example of use.

Note: cstring.h is deprecated

Macros

If ETL_DISABLE_STRING_TRUNCATION_CHECKS is defined then the string will not be checked for truncation and the truncation functions will not be available.

If ETL_DISABLE_STRING_CLEAR_AFTER_USE is defined then the string will not be cleared after use and the 'secure' functions will not be available.

Defining both of these macros can reduce the overhead of an etl::string by up to 4 bytes.

If ETL_ENABLE_ERROR_ON_STRING_TRUNCATION is defined then an error will be asserted if the string would truncate.

External buffers

etl::string_ext
etl::wstring_ext
etl::u16string_ext
etl::u32string_ext

With these templates, a pointer to an external buffer, plus the size of the buffer must be supplied at construction.
Note The buffer size must include room for a terminating null.

Example

constexpr size_t Size = 10;

// A string of a maximum of 10 characters, using an internal buffer.  
etl::string<Size > text;

// A string of a maximum of 10 characters, using an external buffer.
char buffer[Size + 1];
etl::string_ext text(buffer, etl::size(buffer));

If the external buffer contains a C string and you wish this to be the initial value, then use the following constructor with the buffer as the initial text parameter.

etl::string_ext text(buffer, buffer, etl::size(buffer));

This constructs a string of capacity etl::size(buffer) containing the null terminated string in buffer.
The constructor will detect that the initial text and the buffer are at the same address.


Note
When using external buffered strings, a memcpy + repair will not produce a copy of the string.
Both the original and copy will point to the same external buffer.

Truncation

Strings contain an internal flag that records the truncation state.
If a string Is constructed, assigned or modified in any way such that the text contained would have exceeded the capacity then the truncate flag is set. The string will be truncated at the maximum capacity.

A string may become marked as truncated if it is assigned characters or constructed from another string marked as truncated. This will occur even if the resulting string is not truncated itself.

The truncation flag is cleared if the string is assigned from a string that does not exceed the capacity or a non-truncated string. It can also be forcibly cleared by calling clear_truncated().

If it is required that truncation be an error then define ETL_STRING_TRUNCATION_IS_ERROR.


bool truncated() const

Description
Returns true if the string was truncated (the assigned or inserted string was greater than capacity or marked as truncated), otherwise false.


void clear_truncated()

Description
Clears the internal truncated flag.


Example
Assuming ETL_STRING_TRUNCATION_IS_ERROR is not defined.

etl::string<11> text1 = "Hello";     // Not truncated.
etl::string<6>  text2 = " World!!!"; // Truncated to " World".

text1 += text2; // Truncated. text1 inherits the truncation state from text2.
text1.assign("Hello World"); // Not truncated.

Interfacing with C APIs

The ETL strings implement three functions to ease interfacing with C APIs.

initialize_free_space()
trim_to_terminator()
data_end()

initialize_free_space()

Description
Initializes the free space in the string to null terminators.
Since: 20.3.0


trim_to_terminator()

Description
Sets the string length to the first terminating null or the max size if the string.
Since: 20.3.0


data_end()

Description
Returns a pointer to the current terminating null.
Since: 20.3.0

Example

// Send the ETL string data to a C function that will append characters.
etl::string<20> text("Hello ");
text.initialize_free_space(); // If the C function does not add its own null terminators.
CFunction(text.data_end(), text.available());
text.trim_to_terminator();

Member types

value_type              T
size_type               size_t
difference_type         ptrdiff_t
reference               value_type&
const_reference         const value_type&
pointer                 value_type*
const_pointer           const value_type*
iterator                Random access iterator
const_iterator          Constant random access iterator
reverse_iterator        ETL_OR_STD::reverse_iterator<iterator>
const_reverse_iterator  ETL_OR_STD::reverse_iterator<const_iterator>

Constructor

Internal buffer

etl::string<const size_t Size>();
etl::string<const size_t Size>(const istring& str);
etl::string<const size_t Size>(const istring& str, size_t pos, size_t len = npos);
etl::string<const size_t Size>(const char* s);
etl::string<const size_t Size>(const char* s, size_t n);
etl::string<const size_t Size>(size_t n, char c);
etl::string<const size_t Size>(const etl::string_view& view);

template <typename TIterator>
etl::string<const size_t Size>(TIterator begin, TIterator end);

Description
Truncates the string if too long.

External buffer

etl::string<const size_t Size>(char* buffer, size_t buffer_size);
etl::string<const size_t Size>(const istring& str, char* buffer, size_t buffer_size);
etl::string<const size_t Size>(const istring& str, char* buffer, size_t buffer_size, size_t pos, size_t len = npos);
etl::string<const size_t Size>(const char* s, char* buffer, size_t buffer_size);
etl::string<const size_t Size>(const char* s, size_t n, char* buffer, size_t buffer_size);
etl::string<const size_t Size>(size_t n, char c, char* buffer, size_t buffer_size);
etl::string<const size_t Size>(const etl::string_view& view, char* buffer, size_t buffer_size);
template <typename TIterator>
etl::string<const size_t Size>(TIterator begin, TIterator end, char* buffer, size_t buffer_size);

Truncates the string if too long.

Element access

T& at(size_t i)
const T& at(size_t i) const

Returns a reference or const reference to the indexed element. Emits an etl::string_out_of_bounds if the index is out of range of the array.


T& operator[](size_t i)
const T& operator[](size_t i) const

Returns a reference or const reference to the indexed element.


T& front()
const T& front() const

Returns a reference or const reference to the first element.
Undefined behaviour if the string is empty.


T& back()
const T& back() const

Returns a reference or const reference to the last element.
Undefined behaviour if the string is empty.

Iterators

iterator begin()
const_iterator begin() const
const_iterator cbegin() const

Returns an iterator to the beginning of the string.


iterator end()
const_iterator end() const
const_iterator cend() const

Returns an iterator to the end of the string.


iterator rbegin()
const_reverse_iterator rbegin() const
const_reverse_iterator crbegin() const

Returns a reverse iterator to the beginning of the string.


iterator rend()
const_reverse_iterator rend() const
const_reverse_iterator crend() const

Returns a reverse iterator to the end of the string.


value_type* data()
const value_type* data() const

Returns a pointer to the start of the string.


value_type* data_end()
const value_type* data_end() const

Returns a pointer to the terminator of the string.

Capacity

bool empty() const

Returns true if the size of the string is zero, otherwise false.


bool full() const

Returns true if the size of the string is SIZE, otherwise false.


size_t size() const

Returns the size of the vector.


void resize(size_t new_size, T value = T())

Resizes the string, up to the maximum capacity.
Emits an etl::string_full if the string does not have the capacity.


template <typename TOperation>
void resize_and_overwrite(size_type new_size, TOperation operation)

Resizes the string and overwrites to data using the operation.
Since: 20.39.5


void uninitialized_resize(size_t new_size)

Resizes the string, up to the maximum capacity, without initialising the new elements.
Since: 20.4.0


size_t max_size() const

Returns the maximum possible size of the string.


size_t capacity() const

Returns the maximum possible size of the string.


size_t available() const

Returns the remaining available capacity in the string.


Modifiers

void push_back(value_type value)

Pushes a value to the back of the string.
No action if the string is already full.


void pop_back();

Pop a value from the back of the string.
No action if the string is already empty.

Insert

iterator insert(iterator position, T value)

Upto: 20.19.0


iterator insert(iterator position, size_type n, T value)

template <typename TIterator>
iterator insert(iterator position, TIterator first, TIterator last)

iterator insert(const_iterator position, T value)

Since: 20.20.0


iterator insert(const_iterator position, size_type n, T value)

template <typename TIterator>
iterator insert(const_iterator position, TIterator first, TIterator last)

etl::istring& insert(size_type position, const etl::istring& str)

etl::istring& insert(size_type position, const etl::string_view& view)
Since: `20.39.5`

---

```cpp
etl::istring& insert(size_type position, 
                     const etl::istring& str,
                     size_type subposition,
                     size_type sublength)

etl::istring& insert(size_type position, 
                     const etl::string_view& view,
                     size_type subposition,
                     size_type sublength)

Since: 20.39.5


etl::istring& insert(size_type position, const_pointer s)

etl::istring& insert(size_type position, const_pointer s, size_type n)

etl::istring& insert(size_type position, size_type n, value_type c)

Inserts values in to the string.
Truncates the string if too long.
Note: Strings that insert from themselves are only supported if the insert position is after the input range.

Erase

etl::istring<T>& erase(size_type position, size_type length_ = npos)

iterator erase(iterator i_element)
iterator erase(iterator first, iterator last)

Upto: 20.19.0


iterator erase(iterator i_element)
iterator erase(const_iterator i_element)
iterator erase(const_iterator first, const_iterator last)

Erases values in the string.
Iterators are not checked. Since: 20.20.0

Assign

template <typename TIterator>
void assign(TIterator begin, TIterator end);

void assign(size_t n, value_type value);

Fills the vector with the values. Emits etl::string_iterator if the distance between begin and end is illegal.
Truncates the string if too long.

void assign(const etl::istring& str);
void assign(const etl::string_view& str); 20.40.0
void assign(const std::string_view& str);
void assign(const etl::istring& str, size_t subpos, size_t sublen);
void assign(const char* s);
void assign(const char* s, size_t n);
void assign(size_t n, char c);
template <typename TIterator>
void assign(TIterator first, TIterator last);

Assigns to the string. Truncates the string if too long.
May inherit the truncation state if the parameter is an etl::string.


Append

etl::istring& append(const etl::istring& str);
etl::istring& append(const etl::istring& str, size_t subpos, size_t sublen);
etl::istring& append(const etl::string_view& view);
etl::istring& append(const etl::string_view& view, size_t subpos, size_t sublen);
etl::istring& append(const char* s);
etl::istring& append(const char* s, size_t n);
etl::istring& append(size_t n, char c);
template <typename TIterator>
string& append(TIterator first, Titerator last);

Appends to the string. Truncates the string if too long.
May inherit the truncation state if the parameter is an etl::string.


Insert

etl::istring& insert(size_t pos, const istring& str);
etl::istring& insert(size_t pos, const istring& str, size_t subpos, size_t sublen);
etl::istring& insert(size_t pos, const string_view& view);
etl::istring& insert(size_t pos, const string_view& view, size_t subpos, size_t sublen);
etl::istring& insert(size_t pos, const char* s);
etl::istring& insert(size_t pos, const char* s, size_t n);
etl::istring& insert(size_t pos, size_t n, char c);
void insert (iterator p, size_t n, char c);
iterator insert(iterator p, char c);
template <typename TIterator>
void insert (iterator p, Titerator first, Titerator last);

Inserts into the string.
May inherit the truncation state if the parameter is an etl::string.

Note: Strings that insert from themselves are only supported if the insert position is after the input range.


Replace

string& replace(size_t pos,  size_t len,  const etl::istring& str);
string& replace(iterator i1, iterator i2, const etl::istring& str);
string& replace(size_t pos,  size_t len,  const etl::istring& str, size_t subpos, size_t sublen);
string& replace(size_t pos,  size_t len,  const char* s);
string& replace(iterator i1, iterator i2, const char* s);
string& replace(size_t pos,  size_t len,  const char* s, size_t n);
string& replace(iterator i1, iterator i2, const char* s, size_t n);
string& replace(size_t pos,  size_t len,  size_t n, char c);
string& replace(iterator i1, iterator i2, size_t n, char c);
template <typename TIterator>
string& replace(iterator i1, iterator i2, Titerator first, Titerator last);

Replaces parts of the string. Truncates the string if too long.
May inherit the truncation state if the parameter is an etl::istring.


Repair

void repair()

This function must be called if the string has been copied via a low level method such as memcpy. This can only be called from an etl::string, etl::wstring, etl::u8string, etl::u16string, or etl::u32string instance.

If ETL_ISTRING_REPAIR_ENABLE is defined then repair() may be called from the etl::istring base class.
Be aware that doing this introduces a virtual function to the class.

Has no effect if the object has not been copied in this way.

Example

typedef etl::string<10> String;
String text = "ABCDEF";
char buffer[sizeof(String)];
memcpy(&buffer, &text, sizeof(String));
String& rtext(*reinterpret_cast<String*>(buffer));
// Do not access the string in any way until you have called this.
rtext.repair();

void clear();

Clears the string to a size of zero.
Resets the truncate flag


void initialize_free_space()

This function will initialize the free space in a string to null terminators.


void trim_to_terminator()

The string length will be set to the position of the first null terminator.
If the last item in the buffer is not a null terminator then one will be inserted.


string& operator = (const etl::istring& rhs)
string& operator = (const value_type* text)

Assignment operator.

May inherit the truncation state is the parameter is an etl::string.

string& operator += (const etl::istring& rhs)
string& operator += (const value_type* text)

Addition operator.

May inherit the truncation state is the parameter is an etl::istring.

void clear();

Clears the string to a size of zero.
Resets the truncate flag.

Find

size_t find(const etl::istring& str, size_t pos = 0) const;
size_t find(const char* s, size_t pos = 0) const;
size_t find(const char* s, size_t pos, size_t n) const;
size_t find(char c, size_t pos = 0) const;

Find in a string

size_t rfind(const etl::istring& str, size_t pos = npos) const;
size_t rfind(const char* s, size_t pos = npos) const;
size_t rfind(const char* s, size_t pos, size_t n) const;
size_t rfind(char c, size_t pos = npos) const;

Reverse find in a string


size_t find_first_of(const string& str, size_t pos = 0) const;
size_t find_first_of(const char* s, size_t pos = 0) const;
size_t find_first_of(const char* s, size_t pos, size_t n) const;
size_t find_first_of(char c, size_t pos = 0) const;

Find first of in a string


size_t find_last_of(const etl::istring& str, size_t pos = npos) const;
size_t find_last_of(const char* s, size_t pos = npos) const;
size_t find_last_of(const char* s, size_t pos, size_t n) const;
size_t find_last_of(char c, size_t pos = npos) const;

Find last of in a string.


size_t find_first_not_of(const etl::istring& str, size_t pos = 0) const;
size_t find_first_not_of(const char* s, size_t pos = 0) const;
size_t find_first_not_of(const char* s, size_t pos, size_t n) const;
size_t find_first_not_of(char c, size_t pos = 0) const;

Find first not of in a string


size_t find_last_not_of(const etl::istring& str, size_t pos = npos) const;
size_t find_last_not_of(const char* s, size_t pos = npos) const;
size_t find_last_not_of(const char* s, size_t pos, size_t n) const;
size_t find_last_not_of(char c, size_t pos = npos) const;

Find last not of in a string


contains

bool contains(const etl::ibasic_string<T>& str) const 

Checks that the string is within this string.


template <typename TTraits>
bool contains(const etl::basic_string_view<T, TTraits>& view) const 

Checks that the view is within this string


bool contains(const_pointer s) const 

Checks that text is within this string


bool contains(value_type c) const 

Checks that character is within this string

starts_with

bool starts_with(const etl::ibasic_string<T>& str) const 

Checks that the string is the start of this string


template <typename TTraits>
bool starts_with(const etl::basic_string_view<T, TTraits>& view) const 

Checks that the view is the start of this string


bool starts_with(const_pointer s) const 

Checks that the string is the start of this string

--

bool starts_with(value_type c) const 

Checks that the character is the start of this string

ends_with

bool ends_with(const etl::ibasic_string<T>& str) const 

Checks that the string is the end of this string


template <typename TTraits>
bool ends_with(const etl::basic_string_view<T, TTraits>& view) const 

Checks that the view is the end of this string


bool ends_with(const_pointer s) const 

Checks that the string is the end of this string


bool ends_with(value_type c) const 

Checks that the character is the end of this string


Substr

string substr(size_t pos = 0, size_t len = npos) const

Extract a substring


Compare

int compare(const etl::istring& str) const;
int compare(size_t pos, size_t len, const etl::istring& str) const;
int compare(size_t pos, size_t len, const etl::istring& str, size_t subpos, size_t sublen) const;
int compare(const char* s) const;
int compare(size_t pos, size_t len, const char* s) const;
int compare(size_t pos, size_t len, const char* s, size_t n) const;

Compare strings


Non-member functions

Make a string from a literal or array
char

template <const size_t Max_Size>
etl::string<Max_Size> make_string(const char (&text) [Max_Size])

template <const size_t Max_Size, size_t Size>
etl::string<Max_Size> make_string_with_capacity(const char (&text) [Size])

wchar_t

template <const size_t Max_Size>
etl::wstring<Max_Size> make_string(const wchar_t (&text) [Max_Size])
template <const size_t Max_Size, size_t Size>
etl::wstring<Max_Size> make_string_with_capacity(const wchar(&text) [Size])

char8_t
Since: 20.38.7

template <const size_t Max_Size>
etl::u8string<Max_Size> make_string(const char8_t (&text) [Max_Size])

template <const size_t Max_Size, size_t Size>
etl::u16string<Max_Size> make_string_with_capacity(const char16_t(&text) [Size])

char16_t

template <const size_t Max_Size>
etl::u16string<Max_Size> make_string(const char16_t (&text) [Max_Size])

template <const size_t Max_Size, size_t Size>
etl::u16string<Max_Size> make_string_with_capacity(const char16_t(&text) [Size])

---

`char32_t`  
```cpp
template <const size_t Max_Size>
etl::u32string<Max_Size> make_string(const char32_t (&text) [Max_Size])

template <const size_t Max_Size, size_t Size>
etl::u32string<Max_Size> make_string_with_capacity(const char32_t(&text) [Size])

Examples

// 'text' contains "Hello World" with a size and capacity of 11.
auto text = etl::make_string("Hello World");

// 'text' contains "Hello World" with a size of 11 and capacity of 20.
auto text = etl::make_string_with_capacity<20>("Hello World");

// 'text' contains "Hello Worl" with a size of 10 and capacity of 10. Marked as truncated.
auto text = etl::make_string_with_capacity<10>("Hello World");

Comparisons

== true if the contents of the vectors are equal,
otherwise false.
!= true if the contents of the vectors are not equal,
otherwise false.
< true if the contents of the lhs are lexicographically less than the contents of the rhs,
otherwise false.
<= true if the contents of the lhs are lexicographically less than or equal to the contents of the rhs,
otherwise false.
> true if the contents of the lhs are lexicographically greater than the contents of the rhs,
otherwise false.
>= true if the contents of the lhs are lexicographically greater than or equal to the contents of the rhs,
otherwise false.