>>Hi everybody,
>>
>>I have this method
>>
>>

>>internal void GetDCIComponents(String tcDCI, out String department, out String category, out String item)
>>      {
>>         department = tcDCI.Substring(0, 10);
>>         category = tcDCI.Substring(10, 10);
>>         item = tcDCI.Substring(20, 10);
>>      }

>>
>>The problem is with the last assignment when I pass item less than 10 characters. What is the best way to "simulate" VFP substring to get up to the length of the item?
>>
>>Thanks in advance.
>
>Try this as an extension method:
>

>public static string SafeSubstring(this string originalValue, int startIndex, int length)
>{
>	string retVal = string.Empty;
>
>	if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(originalValue))
>	{
>		if (startIndex >= originalValue.Length)
>			startIndex = originalValue.Length - 1;
>
>		if (startIndex < 0)
>			startIndex = 0;
>
>		if (startIndex + length > originalValue.Length)
>			length = originalValue.Length - startIndex;
>
>		if (0 <= startIndex && startIndex < originalValue.Length && length > 0)
>			retVal = originalValue.Substring(startIndex, length);
>	}
>	
>	return retVal;
>}
>

Thanks a lot, this is going to work great.