STRTRIM(3pub)

📦 version 0.40, in debian bookworm, debian trixie, ubuntu jammy, ubuntu noble, ubuntu questing, ubuntu resolute, ubuntu stonking

💖 STRTRIM(3pub) — the C Programmer's Manual, but make it cute 💖

okay bestie, gather round, because today we're talking about strtrim from the publib gang. this is a page from the C Programmer's Manual and honestly? it's giving "small function, huge slay." 🎀

✨ NAME ✨

strtrim — remove leading and trailing whitespace 🧹✨

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

#include <publib.h>
char *strtrim(char *s);

✨ DESCRIPTION ✨

so here's the vibe: strtrim removes all whitespace characters from the beginning and the end of a string. that's it, that's the whole job, and it does it flawlessly. 💅

and what counts as "whitespace" you ask? literally everything for which isspace(3) returns true. so whatever isspace(3) says is whitespace, strtrim says is whitespace. they're besties, they agree on everything. 🫶

✨ RETURN VALUE ✨

strtrim returns its argument. yes, its own argument. it hands you back the very same pointer you gave it — lowkey iconic behaviour, no notes. 💖

✨ EXAMPLE ✨

say you want to strip the whitespace off the front and back of every single line. you might do the following:

#include <publib.h>

int main(void) {
     char line[512];

     while (fgets(line, sizeof(line), stdio) != NULL) {
          strtrim(line);
          printf("%s", line);
     }
     return 0;
}

copy that, paste that, watch your lines get ✨cleaned✨. the way that strtrim(line) just casually fixes the whole line before you print it? main character energy fr fr. 👑

✨ SEE ALSO ✨

the whole friend group, love that for them 🌸

✨ AUTHOR ✨

Lars Wirzenius (lars.wirzenius@helsinki.fi) — the author, the legend, the moment. 💜

ngl bestie, this one's a short read, but it ate and left no crumbs. no cap. 🍓

and that's a wrap! this lil page came to you from Publib, the C Programmer's Manual, and it's the STRTRIM(3pub) era of your life now. go forth and trim those strings, queen. 💅✨🦋🌈

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