# $EPIC: left.txt,v 1.4 2006/08/01 04:12:59 sthalik Exp $
======Synopsis:======
$__left__(<count> <text>)

======Technical:======
   * If <count> is omitted, this function returns the empty string.
   * If <text> is omitted, this function returns the empty string.
   * If <count> is less than 0, this function returns the empty string.
   * If <text> is more than <count> characters long, then this function will return a copy of the first <count> characters in <text>.
   * If <text> is less than or exactly <count> characters long, then this function will return a copy of <text>

======Practical:======
Whenever you need to extract the initial part of a string, you would use
this function to get it.  This is more useful for fixed-format strings.
ircII used to use $left($[[index]](<char> <text>) <text>) to extract the part
of <text> that was before <char>.  In EPIC, use $[[before]](<char> <text>)
because it is faster, more clear, and doesn't require two copies of <text>,
which may be important if <text> is a function call.

======Returns:======
The first <count> characters in <text>.  No padding is done.  If you need
a string that is always <count> characters long, try:
<file>
$pad(<count> " " $left(<count> <text>))
</file>

======Examples:======
<file>
$left(5 biklmnopstv)                     returns "biklm"
$left(15 biklmnopstv)                    returns "biklmnopstv"
$left(-2 biklmnopstv)                    returns nothing
$left($index(@ $userhost()) $userhost()) returns a username in an /on.
  -- Note that this construction is obsolete, but is still used by some.
</file>

======History:======
This function first appeared in ircII.