>>>>>>Thanks to all (Dragan, Marcia and Tore). I wonder which solution is the fastest?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Since you have all the code, why don't you test all the solutions and let us know?
>>>>>
>>>>>(Edit: This reply is for Yossi)
>>>>>
>>>>>I think Dranag's solution is the fastest and optimal, because analyze the string only once and using the minimal instruction set.
>>>>>
>>>>Imagine tcBig 650KB long with 10000 "A": the check will be done 10000 times,
>>>>If the "A" is at the end of the resulting string, will take longer ;-)))
>>>
>>>You are right, and I didn't saw Marcia's algorithm that is excelent!
>>>
>>>This is the testing results of the 3 algorithms in my PC with a 50000 chars string:
>>>
>>>- Dragan: 52.5 secs and maintain the original order
>>>- Tore: 30.9 secs and doesn't maintain original order (order is alphabetical because SQL)
>>>- Marcia: 1.4 secs and maintain the original order => WINNER!
>>>
>>>Congrats Marcia! :D
>>
>>hmmm, Is it too late to enter the compiteition?
>>
>>

FUNCTION NonDupe(cString)
>>LOCAL cNewStr 
>> 
>>cNewStr =""
>>DO WHILE LEN(cString) > 0
>>	cNewStr = cNewStr + LEFT(cString,1)
>>	cString = STRTRAN(cString, LEFT(cString,1))
>>ENDDO
>>RETURN cNewStr
>>ENDFUNC

>>
>>Which is shorter and faster than Marcia's alghorithm by 40% in my testing
>>
>>But all are nothing compared when you've got some C++ code working for you.
>>The FoxTools.fll contains a function REDUCE() which is extremely fast on eliminating characters from a string.
>>It has been written to reduce spaces but has a different role for other characters. It will remove them and replace with spaces.
>>
>>The following alghorith does not not work for detecting the space as a separate character, but if you're only concerned with non-space characters the following is about a 100 times faster than Marcia's routine.
>>
>>
>>

FUNCTION NonDupe3(cString)
>>LOCAL cNewStr 
>> 
>>cNewStr =""
>>
>>DO WHILE LEN(cString) > 0
>>	cNewStr = cNewStr + LEFT(cString,1)
>>	cString = LTRIM(REDUCE(cString, LEFT(cString,1)))
>>ENDDO
>>RETURN cNewStr
>>ENDFUNC

>>
>>Walter,
>
>How is your entry competitive? You haven't done your own work, just refactored Marcia's entry. Easy to change what's been done rather than come up with a method yourself.

John, How can be an entry of close to a 100x times faster, not be competitive?

And no, my strategy is different: a cross between dragans and marcias... put on your glasses.
On second look mine is just a minor variation on what Thomas wrote. However, I did not see that one (nor you) before I wrote mine.
And I did not see anyone bring up REDUCE() in foxtools, did you?

Boy you really have a problem with Dutch windmills huh?