How to check if a string contains text or is it empty?

[reluct]

http://prntscr.com/p65wyz

[divanebaba]

https://www.autohotkey.com/docs/commands/IfIs.htm

[reluct]

https://www.autohotkey.com/docs/commands/IfIs.htm

I do not understand how this can be useful in my case.

[reluct]

I tried this but it didn’t work

Code: Select all

p::
Field = ""
Loop, parse, Field, 
If ( Field:= "" )
{    
send zzz
}
return

[jeeswg]

Code: Select all

;either:
if (var = "")

;or:
if (var == "")

;==================================================

;note:
if (var := "")
;is equivalent to:
var := ""
if (var = "")

Perhaps for your script, you want something like this:

Code: Select all

vText := "abc,def,,ghi"
Loop Parse, vText, % ","
{
	if (A_LoopField = "")
	{
		MsgBox, % A_Index
	}
}
return

[divanebaba]

And I do not understand, how this could not be useful in your case.

Code: Select all

var := "abc"

F6::
if var is alpha
	msgbox, var is just text
else
	msgbox, var is or contains non-text-elements
return

[reluct]

Perhaps for your script, you want something like this:

Code: Select all

vText := "abc,def,,ghi"
Loop Parse, vText, % ","
{
	if (A_LoopField = "")
	{
		MsgBox, % A_Index
	}
}
return

MsgBox showes "3" if the line contain abc, or 123, or empty. No difference.

https://vimeo.com/user88307319/review/360050971/9fdd52105c

And I do not understand, how this could not be useful in your case.

Code: Select all

var := "abc"

F6::
if var is alpha
	msgbox, var is just text
else
	msgbox, var is or contains non-text-elements
return

Your code same.

Sorry

[just me]

MsgBox showes "3" if the line contain abc, or 123, or empty. No difference.

How do you read the string (line)?

[reluct]

MsgBox showes "3" if the line contain abc, or 123, or empty. No difference.

How do you read the string (line)?

I just go to a new line.
I want the script to understand if there is text in it or is it empty. And based on the result, the next command starts, or does not start.

[SOTE]

Perhaps for your script, you want something like this:

Code: Select all

vText := "abc,def,,ghi"
Loop Parse, vText, % ","
{
	if (A_LoopField = "")
	{
		MsgBox, % A_Index
	}
}
return

MsgBox showes "3" if the line contain abc, or 123, or empty. No difference.

The "3" is showing you the empty field, which is at the 3rd position (A_Index).
Instead of A_Index, he could have put a MsgBox that said Empty Field Found (MsgBox, Empty Field Found!)
Jeeswg answered your question, showing you if a field is empty or not. Instead of MsgBox, you could put some other code.

Alternative Example 1

Code: Select all

vText =
(
abc, LoopField 1
def, LoopField 2

ghi, LoopField 4
)
Loop Parse, vText, `n
{
	if (A_LoopField = "")
	{
		MsgBox,,, The LoopField Number %A_Index% Is Empty!
	}
}
return

Alternative Example 2

Code: Select all

vText =
(
abc, LoopField 1
def, LoopField 2

ghi, LoopField 4
)
Loop Parse, vText, `n
{
	if (A_LoopField = "")
	{
		continue
	}
	if (A_LoopField != "")
	{
		MsgBox % A_LoopField
	}
}
return

[boiler]

I tried this but it didn’t work

Code: Select all

p::
Field = ""
Loop, parse, Field, 
If ( Field:= "" )
{    
send zzz
}
return

Just so you are aware of the errors in your original code, you used = and := incorrectly in both cases. You used the assignment operator := to do an if comparison. And you used = as an assignment operator with quotes, which you would only do with the expression assignment operator :=. Also, to just see if Field is blank, you don't need a loop:

Code: Select all

Field := ""
If ( Field = "" )
{    
MsgBox, zzz
}
return

You can use = to assign an empty string, but then you would not use quotes:
Field =

[reluct]

I totally don’t understand what your code does. It does not solve my problem. Maybe I'm confused with terminology. Or I’m explaining something wrong.
Imagine I'm completing sentences now, press enter. I will change to a new line where there is no text. Here the script should determine if there is text or not. I don’t know why I can’t do this with scripts that you call true.

[SOTE]

Are you trying to get data from a control of a GUI?

In that case, you need to use ControlGet, ControlGetText, or GuiControlGet. The usual difference between ControlGet and GuiControlGet, is if you are getting the data from a non-AutoHotkey GUI, use ControlGet or ControlGetText, or from an AutoHotkey created GUI, use GuiControlGet.

To find out the name of the control, you could use WindowSpy.ahk, usually in the directory of where you installed AutoHotkey.

https://www.autohotkey.com/docs/commands/ControlGetText.htm
ControlGetText, OutputVar , Control, WinTitle

Example

Code: Select all

p::
ControlGetText, Field, Edit1, WinTitleName
If (Field = "")
{    
	send zzz
}
return

[flyingDman]

@reluct As you seem to be somewhat frustrated by the responses you received, you might want to provide (much more) detailed information about your circumstance. Are you working in a word processor, in a box on a web page, in a cell of spreadsheet? can you capture the existing text using "ctrl A"? etc etc . All respondents have provided code that helps you resolve exactly what it says in the subject heading "How to check if a string contains text or is it empty?". There is obviously more to that ...

[reluct]

@reluct As you seem to be somewhat frustrated by the responses you received, you might want to provide (much more) detailed information about your circumstance. Are you working in a word processor, in a box on a web page, in a cell of spreadsheet? can you capture the existing text using "ctrl A"? etc etc . All respondents have provided code that helps you resolve exactly what it says in the subject heading "How to check if a string contains text or is it empty?". There is obviously more to that ...

Yes, I'm kind of frustrated. But this is not a problem, it is better to be frustrated with answers than when there are no answers at all. I recorded a video from the screen, I hope this helps.
https://youtu.be/87s6yrun_U8

[Chunjee]

I've added https://biga-ahk.github.io/biga.ahk/#/?id=isundefined to biga.ahk to address cases like this. Perhaps that is of use to you. But if you are struggling with basics it may not be.

Code: Select all

A:= new biga()

A.isUndefined(neverIntializedVar)
; => true

A.isUndefined("")
; => true

[swagfag]

u want to determine whether a textbox contains anything.
try @SOTE s suggestion. if the app doesnt comprise standard gui controls, ull have to find another way of grabbing the text - ctrlA ctrlC / MSAA ACC / ocr

it is only after uve grabbed it, that u can test whether its empty

[Chunjee]

I think you are trying to grab data off a website but none of the posts say so. Your video is unclear and also doesn't show any ahk code so we still don't know what you're working with.

[reluct]

I think you are trying to grab data off a website but none of the posts say so. Your video is unclear and also doesn't show any ahk code so we still don't know what you're working with.

This is Program Anki 2.0(not 2.1 !!!) https://youtu.be/87s6yrun_U8

[reluct]

u want to determine whether a textbox contains anything.
try @SOTE s suggestion. if the app doesnt comprise standard gui controls, ull have to find another way of grabbing the text - ctrlA ctrlC / MSAA ACC / ocr

it is only after uve grabbed it, that u can test whether its empty

@SOTE s suggestion not work.

But why doesn't Loop (parse a string) capture text?