End characters not being added to a string

Question

I'm trying to load a string for a DirectorySearch filter.

strFilter = "((objectClass=container)(cn=" & strParameter & "))"

It doesn't matter what the end characters are, they are not being added to the string. It always ends up as:

strFilter = "((objectClass=container)(cn=" & strParameter

This is so frustrating. I can't even add the end brackets subsequently. What is going on? Strings should NOT behave like this!

• Md. Suman Kabir: Can you please show us some more code before that problematic line?
• the_lotus: They don't... What is inside strParameter? do you check the value of strFilter right after it is set?
• Visual Vincent: If strParameter contains a null-character (char 0) the rest of the string will usually not be rendered by most text editors/viewers, even though it is actually there. Try trimming null-characters from your string and see if it fixes your problem: strFilter = "((objectClass=container)(cn=" & strParameter.Trim(ChrW(0)) & "))".
• Jane Alford: That ".Trim(ChrW(0)) " seems to be working. Thanks so much!
• Visual Vincent: Glad I could help! I will write that as an answer so that you can mark this question as resolved.

Answer 1

If strParameter contains a null-character (char 0) the rest of the string will usually not be rendered by most text editors/text viewers, even though it is actually there. This happens because the null-character is usually used to indicate the end of a string.

Try trimming any null-characters from your string and see if it fixes your problem:

strFilter = "((objectClass=container)(cn=" & strParameter.Trim(ChrW(0)) & "))"

More information:

• Null-terminated string - Wikipedia

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If you in the future (for some reason) encounter a null-character in the middle of your string you can try removing all null-characters alltogether:

strFilter = "((objectClass=container)(cn=" & strParameter.Replace(ChrW(0), "") & "))"