Imports System
Module Program
''' <summary>
''' Removes leading and trailing whitespace and collapses multiple
''' consecutive whitespace characters into a single space.
''' </summary>
''' <param name="input">The original string containing extra spaces.</param>
''' <returns>A normalized string with single spaces between words.</returns>
Function RemoveExtraWhitespace(ByVal input As String) As String
If String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(input) Then
Return String.Empty
End If
' Split the string on whitespace characters, automatically stripping out empty entries
' created by consecutive spaces or leading/trailing padding.
Dim words() As String = input.Split(
CType(Nothing, Char()),
StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries
)
' Rejoin the extracted words using a single space separator.
Return String.Join(" ", words)
End Function
Sub Main()
' Input string containing arbitrary whitespace, tabs, and padding
Dim s As String = " This is a test string with extra spaces. "
' Clean the string using standard framework methods
Dim cleanedString As String = RemoveExtraWhitespace(s)
Console.WriteLine(cleanedString)
End Sub
End Module
' run:
'
' This is a test string with extra spaces.
'
