Variable length array and Split

Hello sages

Having found a perfect case for splitting a string into a Variable length
array
I promptly coded :

dcs-l DynArray char(20) dim(*auto:50)
followed by

c clear DynArray
DynArray = %split(string : '|') ;

only to find that
a. clear does not clear a Variable length array
b. %split fail to deal with consecutive delimiters like in
"first|second|third||fifth"
(it missed the missing forth element)

What am I doing wrong?

Any advice will be thankfully received.

Gad