Extract a Text Fragment
Pull out a snippet of a given length from a start position. Runs entirely in your browser, so your data never leaves your device.
0 chars · 0 lines
Output
The result appears here as you type.
How to use Extract a Text Fragment
- 1. Paste the source text. Enter the full string you want to pull a snippet out of, whether that's a sentence, a log line or a longer block of text.
- 2. Set Start position and Fragment length. Start position is the zero-based character index where the snippet begins, and Fragment length is how many characters to take from there. Adjust both to target the exact substring you need.
- 3. Copy the extracted fragment. The output pane shows only the characters between your start position and its length. Copy it out, or adjust the numbers and re-run to grab a different slice.
When to use Extract a Text Fragment
Extract a Text Fragment pulls a substring of a chosen length starting at a chosen character position out of a larger piece of text. Reach for it whenever you know exactly where in a string the part you need begins.
- Pulling a fixed-width field from a log line. A legacy log format places the timestamp at characters 0 through 19 and the status code right after. Extract each fragment by its known start position instead of writing a regular expression.
- Grabbing an ID from a fixed-format record. A flat-file export always places a 6-character record ID starting at position 12. Extract that fragment across a batch of sample rows to confirm your parsing offsets are correct.
- Testing substring logic before writing code. Before implementing a slice or substring call in your programming language, verify the expected result here by extracting the same start position and length manually.
Examples
Take 5 characters from position 6
Input
hello world
Output
world
About the Extract a Text Fragment tool
Extract a Text Fragment runs as plain JavaScript in your browser tab, with no server behind it. Pull out a snippet of a given length from a start position. Whatever you put in stays on your device from start to finish.
The tool is part of EditSafely's Text Tools section, 211 single-purpose utilities built around the same idea: open the page, get the result, keep your data to yourself.
You can shape the output with 2 settings, including Start position and Fragment length, and the result refreshes the moment you change one. A worked example further down the page shows exactly what the tool produces for a real input.
That local-first design has practical benefits beyond privacy. The tool keeps working on a flaky connection once the page has loaded, results are instant because nothing round-trips to a server, and it is safe to use with confidential material.
Frequently asked questions
Is Extract a Text Fragment free to use?
Yes, it is completely free. All 2,658 tools on EditSafely work without an account, a subscription or usage limits.
Is it safe to paste sensitive or confidential data?
Everything happens locally. Your browser downloads the tool's code once, then does all the processing itself; nothing you enter is transmitted, stored or logged. You can even go offline after the page loads and it will still work.
How much text can I process at once?
There is no fixed limit. Because the work happens on your own device rather than on a shared server, the practical ceiling is your machine's memory, which comfortably handles inputs far larger than typical online tools allow.
Do I need to sign up or install anything?
No. The tool works in any modern browser on desktop, tablet or phone. There is no account to create, no extension to add and no software to install.
How do I use the result?
The output panel has a one-click copy button, and you can keep refining the input while you work; the result updates in place as you type.