Method

InStr

Warning

This item was deprecated in version 2019r2. Please use String.IndexOf as a replacement.

Description

Returns the position of the first occurrence of a string inside another string. The first character is numbered 1.

Usage

result = InStr([start,] source, find)

OR

result = stringVariable.InStr([start,] find)

Part	Type	Description
result	Integer	The position of the first occurrence of find in source. If the search string cannot be located in source, InStr returns 0.
start	Integer	Optional one-based position from which to begin searching the source string. The default is 0.
source	String	Required. String expression being searched.
find	String	Required. String expression being sought.
stringVariable	String	Any variable of type String.

Notes

If the find string is not found within the source string, 0 (zero) is returned. If the find string is an empty string, then start is returned. That is, `InStr`("This", "") returns 0 and `InStr`(3, "This","") returns 3.

InStr is case-insensitive, even with accented Roman characters and non-Roman alphabets.

If you need to find the byte position of the find string within the source string or need a case-sensitive function, use the String.IndexOfBytes function.

Sample code

This example uses the InStr function to locate a string within another string.

Dim first As Integer
first = InStr("This is a test", "t") ' returns 1
first = InStr("This is a test", "is") ' returns 3
first = InStr(4, "This is a test", "is") ' returns 6
first = InStr("This is a test", "tester") ' returns 0

Dim s As String
s = "This is a test"
first = s.InStr("test") ' returns 11

Compatibility

All project types on all supported operating systems.