The Scratch language is missing two very important string functions: SubString and Loc.

I have created two projects to demonstrate these functions:

https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/154872191/

and

https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/154881971/

Scratch Team, I know these have been requested before… But, it has been a LONG time since the language has been updated with new blocks. Please consider adding these two functions into the language. Thanks!

While I support the first suggestion, I'm not so sure about the second one - it would create ambiguity. Does the second block return the location of the first letter or the last letter? Or would it return an entire list?

You see, that's why I made a project to demonstrate the functionality. No more ambiguity.

(Plus, if you'd ever used ANY other programming language, you'd already be familiar with these two functions.)

BoltBait wrote:

You see, that's why I made a project to demonstrate the functionality. No more ambiguity.

(Plus, if you'd ever used ANY other programming language, you'd already be familiar with these two functions.)

I'm talking about Scratch newbies - that is, new Scratchers who have no prior experience in any programming language.

I didn't know you were still active! :P
For the first suggestion, I'm afraid that's a duplicate.
For the second suggestion, I think that's a great idea! I could see this being used to separate certain words from others in different ways. And as you've shown, the workaround is not simple at all. Support for that one.

I'd have to agree with iamunknown2. The substring block is pretty intuitive even for new users, and would be incredibly helpful. The location block is also useful, but much less intuitive, so it might not be a great addition (considering Scratch's target audience).

considering Scratch's target audience

Worst argument ever.

BoltBait wrote:

considering Scratch's target audience

Worst argument ever.

True… I think the substring block is a duplicate.

I think the substring block is a duplicate.

I know.

That's why I originally said…

Scratch Team, I know these have been requested before…

BoltBait wrote:

considering Scratch's target audience

Worst argument ever.

Well, that's actually part of the design goals I think Lightnin posted somewhere here.

Support for substring but maybe not location.
The main downside of either is currently not having them forces new scratchers to learn really important concepts (if they're serious about getting into coding). I probably wouldn't be where I am if we had that functionality. That's a strange argument (Less functionality = better… how???), but may be worth something.

Buuut I agree both would be extremely handy.

BoltBait wrote:

I think the substring block is a duplicate.

I know.

That's why I originally said…

Scratch Team, I know these have been requested before…

Then why did you make another topic for them? If you know it's been requested before, just go to the original thread and add info there (or if it's closed go to the next oldest one).

Support for both of these. The other day I was thinking about how strange it was that Scratch didn't have a substring block, and how desperately I wanted one. I hope these blocks get implemented in 3.0

BoltBait wrote:

The Scratch language is missing two very important string functions: SubString and Loc.

I have created two projects to demonstrate these functions:

https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/154872191/

and

https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/154881971/

Scratch Team, I know these have been requested before… But, it has been a LONG time since the language has been updated with new blocks. Please consider adding these two functions into the language. Thanks!

Support!

WolfCat67 wrote:

I didn't know you were still active! :P
For the first suggestion, I'm afraid that's a duplicate.
For the second suggestion, I think that's a great idea! I could see this being used to separate certain words from others in different ways. And as you've shown, the workaround is not simple at all. Support for that one.

Yes we already have

but we don't have what @BoltBait said,

PullJosh wrote:

I'd have to agree with iamunknown2. The substring block is pretty intuitive even for new users, and would be incredibly helpful. The location block is also useful, but much less intuitive, so it might not be a great addition (considering Scratch's target audience).

BoltBait wrote:

considering Scratch's target audience

Worst argument ever.

Yes… I agree.

I would like to voice my support for both functions, especially the substring function.

None of these require new scratchers to learn about them, as they will simply use what they know.

None of these require new scratchers to learn about them, as they will simply use what they know.

Yeah, they don't have to use some crazy block. Maybe if it's only available for Advanced Scratchers?

iamunknown2 wrote:

I'm not so sure about the second one - it would create ambiguity. Does the second block return the location of the first letter or the last letter? Or would it return an entire list?

I'll have to disagree with you there, imagine this.

It will return 9 because starting at position 9 the string “i” appears, so based on that

Should also return 9 because starting at position 9 the string “ijklmno” appears.
When you ask for the location of something, you want where it starts, not where it ends.

BoltBait wrote:

The Scratch language is missing two very important string functions: SubString and Loc.

I have created two projects to demonstrate these functions:

https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/154872191/

and

https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/154881971/

Scratch Team, I know these have been requested before… But, it has been a LONG time since the language has been updated with new blocks. Please consider adding these two functions into the language. Thanks!

I can see a great use for these blocks. For example: If I needed only part of a string I could use this block. Let's say I was importing something like a database into scratch and it came out the wrong way. For example like this:
/hello there./
I only needed the hello there and not the slashes. I could delete the slashes using the substring block.
Great idea! Support.

Support! These would make my projects run much faster