Left

Returns the count of characters from the beginning of a string argument.

Syntax

Left(string, count)

string

String from which the leftmost characters are retrieved.

count

Positive integer indicating how many characters to return.

Examples

<!---  This example shows the use of Left --->
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>
Left Example
</TITLE>
</HEAD>

<BODY BGCOLOR=silver>
<H3>Left Example</H3>

<CFIF IsDefined("Form.MyText")>
<!--- if len is 0, then err --->
    <CFIF Len(FORM.myText) is not 0>
        <CFIF Len(FORM.myText) LTE FORM.RemoveChars>
        <P>Your string <CFOUTPUT>#FORM.myText#</CFOUTPUT>
        only has <CFOUTPUT>#Len(FORM.myText)#</CFOUTPUT>
        characters.  You cannot output the <CFOUTPUT>#FORM.removeChars#
          </CFOUTPUT>
        leftmost characters of this string because it is not long enough.
        <CFELSE>
        <P>Your original string: <CFOUTPUT>#FORM.myText#</CFOUTPUT>
        <P>Your changed string, showing only the
          <CFOUTPUT>#FORM.removeChars#</CFOUTPUT> leftmost characters:
        <CFOUTPUT>#Left(Form.myText, FORM.removeChars)#
        </CFOUTPUT>
        </CFIF>
    <CFELSE>
    <P>Please enter a string
    </CFIF>
</CFIF>
...

CFML Language Reference
Chapter 2 : ColdFusion Functions