StringArray Rust Reference Documentation

StringArray

Current Version: 11.6.1

Chilkat.StringArray

Manage an ordered collection of strings, with StringTable recommended for new code.

Chilkat.StringArray is an ordered string-collection class that can append, prepend, insert, replace, remove, pop, and retrieve strings by index. It can load one string per line from files or in-memory text, save the collection back to text or files, enforce uniqueness, trim incoming values, normalize line endings, search by exact value or wildcard pattern, sort entries, split text into entries, serialize and restore the collection, and perform set-style operations such as union and subtraction.

Recommendation: For new development, prefer Chilkat.StringTable instead of Chilkat.StringArray. StringTable provides a simpler, faster, and more memory-efficient way to manage ordered lists of strings. Use StringArray primarily when maintaining existing code or when a specific API or older example already uses it.

Ordered string collection

Store strings in an internal ordered collection and retrieve them by zero-based index using GetString, StrAt, or LastString.

Add and modify entries

Append, prepend, insert, replace, remove, clear, or pop strings as the collection changes.

Load and save text

Load one string per line from files or text, and save the collection back to files or a single line-delimited string.

Charset-aware file I/O

Use charset-specific load and save methods when working with UTF-8, UTF-16, or other non-ANSI text encodings.

Search, match, and sort

Check for exact strings, find values from a starting index, match wildcard patterns, and sort ascending or descending.

Serialize and combine

Serialize the collection for later restoration, split text into entries, and combine or subtract collections with set-style operations.

Common pattern: Create a StringArray, optionally set Trim, Crlf, or Unique, then append strings directly or load them from a file or text block. Search, sort, split, remove, union, or subtract entries as needed, then save the result with SaveToText, SaveToFile, or SaveToFile2. For new code that only needs an ordered list of strings, use Chilkat.StringTable instead.
Naming note: Although the class name contains Array, Chilkat.StringArray is a Chilkat object that manages an ordered string collection. It should not be confused with a native array type in a programming language.

Object Creation

// Cargo.toml:
//     [dependencies]
//     chilkat = "11.6"

use chilkat::StringArray;

// Once per process, before any other Chilkat call:
chilkat::unlock_bundle("Anything for 30-day trial")?;  // shorthand for Global::new().unlock_bundle(..)

let string_array = StringArray::new();
// ... the native object is freed when `string_array` goes out of scope.
pub fn new() -> StringArray

Creates the underlying native Chilkat object (StringArray also implements Default). Every method takes &self, so the object never needs to be declared mut. A StringArray is Send but not Sync: it may be moved to another thread, but a reference to it cannot be shared between threads at the same time.

impl Drop for StringArray

The native object is freed when the StringArray is dropped — when it goes out of scope, or explicitly with drop(string_array). There is no Dispose method to call.

Errors

Methods that can fail return chilkat::Result<T>, which is Result<T, chilkat::Error>: a method whose only outcome is success or failure returns Result<()>, a method producing a string or an object returns Result<String> or Result<StringArray>. The error carries the object's LastErrorText at the time of the failure (Error::last_error_text), the class and method names, and implements std::error::Error, so ? works in any function returning chilkat::Result or a Box<dyn Error>. Properties never fail, and methods that answer a question (has_..., is_..., ...) return a plain bool.

match string_array.some_method(...) {
    Ok(value) => println!("{value:?}"),
    Err(e) => eprintln!("{}", e.last_error_text()),
}

Properties

Count
// read-only
pub fn count(&self) -> i32

The number of strings contained within the object's internal array (i.e. ordered collection).

Important: This is an object that contains a collection of strings. Although the class/object name includes the word Array, it should not be confused with an array in the sense of the primitive array type used in a given programming language.

top
Crlf
// read/write
pub fn crlf(&self) -> bool
pub fn set_crlf(&self, value: bool)

If true, strings are always automatically converted to use CRLF line endings. If false, strings are automatically converted to use bare LF line endings.

top
DebugLogFilePath
// read/write
pub fn debug_log_file_path(&self) -> String
pub fn set_debug_log_file_path(&self, value: &str)

If set to a file path, this property logs the LastErrorText of each Chilkat method or property call to the specified file. This logging helps identify the context and history of Chilkat calls leading up to any crash or hang, aiding in debugging.

Enabling the VerboseLogging property provides more detailed information. This property is mainly used for debugging rare instances where a Chilkat method call causes a hang or crash, which should generally not happen.

Possible causes of hangs include:

  • A timeout property set to 0, indicating an infinite timeout.
  • A hang occurring within an event callback in the application code.
  • An internal bug in the Chilkat code causing the hang.

More Information and Examples
Example showing how to use DebugLogFilePath.
top
LastErrorHtml
// read-only
pub fn last_error_html(&self) -> String

Provides HTML-formatted information about the last called method or property. If a method call fails or behaves unexpectedly, check this property for details. Note that information is available regardless of the method call's success.

top
LastErrorText
// read-only
pub fn last_error_text(&self) -> String

Provides plain text information about the last called method or property. If a method call fails or behaves unexpectedly, check this property for details. Note that information is available regardless of the method call's success.

More Information and Examples
Concept of LastErrorTextLastErrorText Standard Information
top
LastErrorXml
// read-only
pub fn last_error_xml(&self) -> String

Provides XML-formatted information about the last called method or property. If a method call fails or behaves unexpectedly, check this property for details. Note that information is available regardless of the method call's success.

top
LastMethodSuccess
// read/write
pub fn last_method_success(&self) -> bool
pub fn set_last_method_success(&self, value: bool)

Indicates the success or failure of the most recent method call: true means success, false means failure. This property remains unchanged by property setters or getters. This method is present to address challenges in checking for null or Nothing returns in certain programming languages. Note: This property does not apply to methods that return integer values or to boolean-returning methods where the boolean does not indicate success or failure.

top
Length
// read-only
pub fn length(&self) -> i32

The number of strings contained within the internal collection. (Identical to the Count property.)

top
Trim
// read/write
pub fn trim(&self) -> bool
pub fn set_trim(&self, value: bool)

If true, whitespace, including carriage-returns and linefeeds, are automatically removed from the beginning and end of a string when added to the collection.

top
Unique
// read/write
pub fn unique(&self) -> bool
pub fn set_unique(&self, value: bool)

If true, then duplicates are not allowed. When an attempt is made to insert a string that already exists, the duplicate insertion is silently suppressed and no error is returned. The default value is false.

top
VerboseLogging
// read/write
pub fn verbose_logging(&self) -> bool
pub fn set_verbose_logging(&self, value: bool)

If set to true, then the contents of LastErrorText (or LastErrorXml, or LastErrorHtml) may contain more verbose information. The default value is false. Verbose logging should only be used for debugging. The potentially large quantity of logged information may adversely affect peformance.

top
Version
// read-only
pub fn version(&self) -> String

Version of the component/library, such as "10.1.0"

More Information and Examples
How to get the Chilkat version at runtime.
top

Methods

Append
pub fn append(&self, str: &str) -> Result<()>

Appends a string to the end of the internal ordered collection.

Returns Ok(()) for success, Err(chilkat::Error) for failure.

top
AppendSerialized
pub fn append_serialized(&self, encoded_str: &str) -> Result<()>

Appends multiple strings to the end of the internal ordered collection. The encoded_str is what is returned from the Serialize method (see below).

Returns Ok(()) for success, Err(chilkat::Error) for failure.

top
Clear
pub fn clear(&self)

Remove all strings from the internal collection.

top
Contains
pub fn contains(&self, str: &str) -> bool

Returns true if the string is present in the internal collection. The string comparisons are case sensitive.

top
Find
pub fn find(&self, find_str: &str, start_index: i32) -> i32

Finds the index of the first string equal to find_str. The search begins at start_index. If the string is not found, -1 is returned. The first string in the array is at index 0.

top
FindFirstMatch
pub fn find_first_match(&self, match_pattern: &str, start_index: i32) -> i32

Finds the first string that matches the match_pattern. The search begins at start_index. If the string is not found, -1 is returned. The first string in the array is at index 0.

The match_pattern may contain zero or more asterisk chars, each of which matches 0 or more of any character.

top
GetString
pub fn get_string(&self, index: i32) -> Result<String>

Returns the string at an indexed location within the internal collection. The first string is located at index 0.

Returns Err(chilkat::Error) on failure.

top
GetStringLen
pub fn get_string_len(&self, index: i32) -> i32

Returns Nth string's length, in characters. The first string is located at index 0.

top
InsertAt
pub fn insert_at(&self, index: i32, str: &str)

Inserts a string into the internal collection at a specified index. Using index 0 will insert at the beginning.

top
LastString
pub fn last_string(&self) -> Result<String>

Returns the last string in the internal collection.

Returns Err(chilkat::Error) on failure.

top
LoadFromFile
pub fn load_from_file(&self, path: &str) -> Result<()>

Loads strings from a file (one per line) into the internal collection. It is assumed the file contains ANSI strings. To load from a file containing non-ANSI strings (such as utf-8), call LoadFromFile2 instead.

Note: This method appends the strings in path to the existing collection of strings contained in this object.

Returns Ok(()) for success, Err(chilkat::Error) for failure.

top
LoadFromFile2
pub fn load_from_file2(&self, path: &str, charset: &str) -> Result<()>

Loads strings from a file (one per line) into the internal collection. The charset specifies the character encoding (such as utf-8) of the strings contained in the file.

Note: This method appends the strings in path to the existing collection of strings contained in this object.

Returns Ok(()) for success, Err(chilkat::Error) for failure.

top
LoadFromText
pub fn load_from_text(&self, str: &str)

Loads strings from an in-memory string (one per line) into the internal collection.

Note: This method appends the strings in str to the existing collection of strings contained in this object.

top
Pop
pub fn pop(&self) -> Result<String>

Returns the last string and removes it from the internal collection.

Returns Err(chilkat::Error) on failure.

top
Prepend
pub fn prepend(&self, str: &str)

Adds a string to the beginning of the internal collection.

top
Remove
pub fn remove(&self, str: &str)

Removes all strings equal to the string argument from the internal collection.

top
RemoveAt
pub fn remove_at(&self, index: i32) -> Result<()>

Removes the string at a particular index.

Returns Ok(()) for success, Err(chilkat::Error) for failure.

top
ReplaceAt
pub fn replace_at(&self, index: i32, str: &str)
Introduced in version 9.5.0.52

Replaces the string at a specified index.

top
SaveNthToFile
pub fn save_nth_to_file(&self, index: i32, save_to_path: &str) -> Result<()>

Saves the Nth string in the collection to a file.

Returns Ok(()) for success, Err(chilkat::Error) for failure.

top
SaveToFile
pub fn save_to_file(&self, path: &str) -> Result<()>

Saves the collection of strings to a file, one string per line. Strings are saved using the ANSI charset. (Call SaveToFile2 to specify a charset, such as utf-8)

Returns Ok(()) for success, Err(chilkat::Error) for failure.

top
SaveToFile2
pub fn save_to_file2(&self, save_to_path: &str, charset: &str) -> Result<()>

Saves the collection of strings to a file, one string per line. Strings are saved using the specified charset.

Returns Ok(()) for success, Err(chilkat::Error) for failure.

top
SaveToText
pub fn save_to_text(&self) -> Result<String>

Writes the collection of strings to a single string, one per line (separated by CRLF line endings).

Returns Err(chilkat::Error) on failure.

top
Serialize
pub fn serialize(&self) -> Result<String>

Returns an string which is an encoded representation of all the strings in the collection. The string collection can be re-created by calling the AppendSerialized method.

Returns Err(chilkat::Error) on failure.

top
Sort
pub fn sort(&self, ascending: bool)

Sorts the strings in the collection in ascending or descending order. To sort in ascending order, set ascending to true, otherwise set ascending equal to false.

top
SplitAndAppend
pub fn split_and_append(&self, str: &str, boundary: &str)

Splits a string at a character or substring boundary and adds each resulting string to the internal collection.

top
StrAt
pub fn str_at(&self, index: i32) -> Result<String>

Returns the string at a specific index.

Returns Err(chilkat::Error) on failure.

top
Subtract
pub fn subtract(&self, string_array_obj: &StringArray)

Subtracts the strings contained within string_array_obj from the caller's internal collection.

top
Union
pub fn union(&self, string_array_obj: &StringArray)

Performs the union set-operator. The result is that the caller will have a string collection that is the union of itself and string_array_obj.

top