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title: index_of()
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---

# index_of()

Returns the location (index) of the specified characters.

## Syntax

`index_of`(_string_, _searchStr_ [,_position_ [, _occurence_]])

## Usage

This function returns the index of _searchStr_ in _string_, beginning at the specified _position_. The function returns 0 if _searchStr_ is not found. This function is case-sensitive. If any of the parameters are _null_, then the function returns _null_.

The default value of _position_ is 1, which means that the function begins searching at the first character of _string_. An error results if _position_ is negative or zero.

_occurrence_ is an optional integer, with a default value of `1` . You can use this parameter to specify which occurrence of _searchStr_ to search for. For example, if there is more than one occurrence of _searchStr_, and _occurence_ is 2, the index of the second occurrence is returned.

Constant values are supported for _position_ and _occurrence_, not arbitrary expressions.

If _searchStr_ is an empty string, then the function returns _null_.

## Example

```nolang
q = load "Opportunity Details";
q = group q by all;
-- return the first occurrence of "a", starting at the beginning.
-- The result is 2.
q = foreach q generate index_of("Hawaii", "a") as 'Index';

-- return the second occurrence of "a", starting at the beginning
-- the result is 4
q = foreach q generate index_of("Hawaii", "a",1, 2) as 'Index';


-- return the first occurrence of "a", starting at the third position
-- the result is 4
q = foreach q generate index_of("Hawaii", "a",3) as 'Index';
```