LotusScript: Easy and Fast @ReplaceSubstring Alternative

On the first glimpse, there is no direct way to do a replace substring in LotusScript like in formula using @ReplaceSubstring. Even the IBM Technote #1102507 suggests using "instr", "left" and "mid".

There is a much faster and easy way to use accomplish this task by using the function replace:

Replace(sourceArray, findArray, replacementArray [, start [, count [, compMethod]]])

This function also works for strings.

 The code is even faster too:

• 3773 ms - FindReplace_IBM
• 2719 ms - FindReplace_Tuned
• 539 ms - Replace
• 1469 ms - Replace on Array
• 7473 ms - FindReplace_IBM  - 2 Values
• 6688 ms - FindReplace_Tuned  - 2 Values
• 1102 ms - Replace  - 2 Values
• 1871 ms - Replace on Array  - 2 Values

Demo Code: Usage Replace

Sub Initialize
   Dim result As Variant

   ' Replace single Value
   result = Replace ("alice bar alicebar", "alice", "foo")
   Print "1: " + result ' result = "foo bar foobar"
   
   ' Replace two Values
   result = Replace ("alice bob alicebob", _
   Split("alice bob"), Split("foo bar"))
   Print "2: " + result ' result = "foo bar foobar"

   ' Replace two Values, with one
   result = Replace ("alice bar bobbar", Split("alice bob"), "foo")
   Print "3: " + result ' result = "foo bar foobar"
   
   ' If replacmentArray is larger than findArray, 
   ' the Values will be ignored
   result = Replace ("alice bar bobbar", _ 
      Split("alice bob"), Split("foo foo bar"))
   Print "4: " + result ' result = "foo bar foobar"
   
   ' For Replacing Blank use Delimiter in Split
   result = Replace ("alice   bar alice  bar", _ 
      Split("alice:  ",":"), Split("foo:",":"))
   Print "5: " + result ' result = "foo bar foobar"

   ' Multi Level Replacments
   ' "alicebob bar bobbobbar" -> "bobbob bar bobbobbar"
   ' "bobbob bar bobbobbar"   -> "foo bar foobar"
   result = Replace ("alicebob bar bobbobbar", _ 
      Split("alice bobbob"), Split("bob foo"))
   Print "6: " + result ' result = "foo bar foobar"
   
   Dim resultArray As Variant

   ' Replace Array Substring
   resultArray =  Replace(Split("alice bob alicebob"), _ 
      Split("alice bob"), Split("foo bar"))
   Print "6: " + "[""" + Join(resultArray,""", """) + """]" 
   ' resultArray = "["foo", "bar", "foobar"]"
End Sub

Demo Code: Perfomance

Option Public
Option Declare

Sub Initialize
 Const LOOP_MAX = 100000
 Dim i As Long
 Dim timerStart As Single
 Dim timerResult As Single
 
 Dim result As Variant
 Dim resultArray As Variant

 ' Classic IBM Method
 TimerStart = Timer
 For i = 1 To LOOP_MAX
  result =  FindReplace_IBM("faa bar faabar faa bar faabar faa bar faabar", "aa", "oo")
 Next
 timerResult = (Timer - timerStart) * 1000 ' milliseconds
 print Format$(timerResult, "###0") + " ms - FindReplace_IBM " + " - Result: " + result

 ' IBM Method tuned
 TimerStart = Timer
 For i = 1 To LOOP_MAX
  result =  FindReplace_Tuned("faa bar faabar faa bar faabar faa bar faabar", "aa", "oo")
 Next
 timerResult = (Timer - timerStart) * 1000 ' milliseconds
 print  Format$(timerResult, "###0") + " ms - FindReplace_Tuned " + " - Result: " + result

 ' Replace
 TimerStart = Timer
 For i = 1 To LOOP_MAX
  result =  Replace("faa bar faabar faa bar faabar faa bar faabar", "aa", "oo")
 Next
 timerResult = (Timer - timerStart) * 1000 ' milliseconds
 print  Format$(timerResult, "###0") + " ms - Replace " + " - Result: " + result

 ' Replace on Array
 TimerStart = Timer
 For i = 1 To LOOP_MAX
  resultArray =  Replace(Split("faa bar faabar faa bar faabar faa bar faabar"), "aa", "oo")
 Next
 timerResult = (Timer - timerStart) * 1000 ' milliseconds
 print  Format$(timerResult, "###0") + " ms - Replace on Array " + " - Result: [""" + Join(resultArray,""", """) + """]"

 ' Classic IBM Method - 2 Values
 TimerStart = Timer
 For i = 1 To LOOP_MAX
  result =  FindReplace_IBM("faa bar faabar faa bar faabar faa bar faabar", "aa", "oo")
  result =  FindReplace_IBM(result, "oo", "uu")
 Next
 timerResult = (Timer - timerStart) * 1000 ' milliseconds
 print  Format$(timerResult, "###0") + " ms - FindReplace_IBM - 2 Values " + " - Result: " + result

 ' IBM Method tuned - 2 Values
 TimerStart = Timer
 For i = 1 To LOOP_MAX
  result =  FindReplace_Tuned("faa bar faabar faa bar faabar faa bar faabar", "aa", "oo")
  result =  FindReplace_IBM(result, "oo", "uu")
 Next
 timerResult = (Timer - timerStart) * 1000 ' milliseconds
 print  Format$(timerResult, "###0") + " ms - FindReplace_Tuned - 2 Values " + " - Result: " + result

 ' Replace - 2 Values
 TimerStart = Timer
 For i = 1 To LOOP_MAX
  result =  Replace("faa bar faabar faa bar faabar faa bar faabar", Split("aa oo"), Split("oo uu"))
 Next
 timerResult = (Timer - timerStart) * 1000 ' milliseconds
 print  Format$(timerResult, "###0") + " ms - Replace - 2 Values " + " - Result: " + result


 ' Replace on Array - 2 Values
 TimerStart = Timer
 For i = 1 To LOOP_MAX
  resultArray =  Replace(Split("faa bar faabar faa bar faabar faa bar faabar"), Split("aa oo"), Split("oo uu"))
 Next
 timerResult = (Timer - timerStart) * 1000 ' milliseconds
 print  Format$(timerResult, "###0") + " ms - Replace on Array - 2 Values " + " - Result: [""" + Join(resultArray,""", """) + """]" 
End Sub

Function FindReplace_IBM (ByVal wholestring As Variant, find As String, ireplace As String) As String
 ' Source http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21102507
 Dim checkstring, saveleft, leftstring, rightstring As String
 Dim n As Integer
 checkstring=wholestring
 saveleft=""
 While InStr(1, checkstring, find) <> 0 
  n=InStr(1, checkstring, find)
  leftstring = Left(checkstring, n-1)
  rightstring=Right(checkstring, Len(checkstring)-n-Len(find)+1)
  saveleft=saveleft+leftstring+ireplace
  checkstring=rightstring
 Wend
 FindReplace_IBM = saveleft+checkstring
End Function

Function FindReplace_Tuned (paraString As String, paraFrom As String, paraTo As String) As String
 ' IBM Method tuned
 Dim result As String
 result = paraString
 While InStr(result, paraFrom) <> 0 
  result = Left(result, InStr(result, paraFrom) - 1) & paraTo & Mid(result, InStr(result, paraFrom) + Len(paraFrom))
 Wend
 FindReplace_Tuned = result
End Function