topic Re: subfield() using negative index in Archived Groups

subfield() using negative index

rwunderlich — Wed, 23 Jul 2025 14:48:52 GMT

When used in a load statement, subfield can use a negative value for index. For example

LOAD subfield('a\b\c', '\', -1) as X

will return "c". This is true when the first param is a literal or a field.

However:

LET z = subfield('a\b\c', '\', -1)

will return null. Use in a chart expression will return null as well.

The doc does not say that a negative index is allowed. I just stumbled upon it accidentally some years ago.

My question is, should this work everywhere? Or nowhere? Is the doc in error (or am I in error)?

-Rob

Gysbert_Wassenaar — Thu, 09 Jan 2014 20:52:15 GMT

Maybe I misunderstand you, but I can't reproduce your However. Seems to work in 11.2SR5.

rwunderlich — Thu, 09 Jan 2014 21:41:50 GMT

Hmm. After carefully(!) testing and documenting this, I can't recreate it either.

Question withdrawn.

-Rob