private static String stripComments(String str){
  if (str == null)   return "";
  String s=str.trim();
  while (s.startsWith("/*")) {
    int idx=s.indexOf("*/");
    if (idx < 0)     return s;
    s=s.substring(idx + 2);
    if (s == null)     return s;
 else     s=s.trim();
  }
  return s;
}

private static String stripComments ( String str ) { if ( str == null ) return "" ; String s = str . trim ( ) ; while ( s . startsWith ( "/*" ) ) { int idx = s . indexOf ( "*/" ) ; if ( idx < 0 ) return s ; s = s . substring ( idx + 2 ) ; if ( s == null ) return s ; else s = s . trim ( ) ; } return s ; }
remove leading comments only
