# ***************************************************************************

# This function removes whitespace at the beginning and end of a string.

#

#  @param string $1 string (optional, can also handle STDIN)

#  @return string

#  @example:    echo " That is a sentinece " | trim

function trim() {

if [ -n "$1" ]; then

        echo $1 | sed 's/^[[:space:]]*//g' | sed 's/[[:space:]]*$//g'

else

        cat - | sed 's/^[[:space:]]*//g' | sed 's/[[:space:]]*$//g'

fi

}