Can anyone explain this formula: =LEFT(A2,SEARCH("/",A2,8))

[Pingbat]

Hi Guys from York, UK,

The below table shows the effect of this formula:
=LEFT(A2,SEARCH("/",A2,8))

Love it in that it does what i want, strips a UTL down to a root but I just copied off the internet. Can anyone explain to my how it works?

Thanks in advance,
David





[TABLE="width: 500"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD][TABLE="width: 925"]
<colgroup><col><col></colgroup><tbody>[TR]
[TD]URL[/TD]
[TD]Root Domain[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]http://www.seomoz.org/article/search-ranking-factors[/TD]
[TD]http://www.seomoz.org/[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]http://www.toprankblog.com/search-marketing-blogs/[/TD]
[TD]http://www.toprankblog.com/[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/[/TD]
[TD]http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]http://www.davidmihm.com/local-search-ranking-factors.shtml[/TD]
[TD]http://www.davidmihm.com/[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]http://wiep.net/[/TD]
[TD]http://wiep.net/[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]http://www.searchenginejournal.com/101-tactics-buy-text-links/13578/[/TD]
[TD]http://www.searchenginejournal.com/[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]http://searchengineland.com/how-to-segment-google-website-optimizer-tests-33341[/TD]
[TD]http://searchengineland.com/[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]http://www.techipedia.com/2009/internet-marketing-posts-2008/[/TD]
[TD]http://www.techipedia.com/[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]http://www.problogger.net/archives/2007/10/02/the-54000-problogger-giveaway-prizes-and-sponsors/[/TD]
[TD]http://www.problogger.net/[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]

[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]

 

[Fluff]

The search function looks for the first / starting a character 8 (so it ignores the first two //) & returns its position in the string.
the left function then takes the left x number of characters of the string, where x is the number returned by the search

 

[ScottR]

Search finds the numeric position of the first "/" after the 8th character (so ignoring the http:// or https:// in each case) of the URL string.

That is being passed to the function "Left" which returns the left hand side of a string, up to a specified number of characters (in this case case, specified by the result of the search).

In simple terms its returning the left hand side of a string up to the first (non ignored) instance of "/"

 

[Pingbat]

Brilliant thank you guys

 

[Pingbat]

The search function looks for the first / starting a character 8 (so it ignores the first two //) & returns its position in the string.
the left function then takes the left x number of characters of the string, where x is the number returned by the search

Thanks @Fluff

 

[Pingbat]

Search finds the numeric position of the first "/" after the 8th character (so ignoring the http:// or https:// in each case) of the URL string.

That is being passed to the function "Left" which returns the left hand side of a string, up to a specified number of characters (in this case case, specified by the result of the search).

In simple terms its returning the left hand side of a string up to the first (non ignored) instance of "/"

Big thank you @ScottR

 

[Fluff]

Glad we could help & thanks for the feedback