FIND block

Short summary

Name	`FIND`
→POU type	→function
Category	IEC-block, String
Conform to →IEC-standard	currently restricted (IEC demands data type `ANY_STRING` for the input `IN1`, hence the following data type is demanded as well: `WSTRING`. Currently, this data type is not supported for the block. IEC demands data type `ANY_CHARS` for the input `IN2`, hence the following data types are demanded as well: `WSTRING`, `CHAR`, `WCHAR`. Currently, these data types are not supported for the block.)
Graphical interface
Available since	version 1.30.0 (for Neuron Power Engineer)

Functionality

The block determines the first position where a partial strings begins within another string. Case sensitivity is of importance.

At input IN1, enter a string in which the searching is done (= 1st string). At input IN2, enter the string which is searched for (= 2nd string). If no occurrence of the value connected to IN2 is found, the block returns the value 0. If an empty character string is searched for, the block returns the value 1.

Neuron Power Engineer determines the character positions within a string as follows: 1, 2, ..., n. 1 corresponds to the leftmost character position and n to the length of the string.
Three-character combination of the dollar sign ($) followed by two hexadecimal digits are evaluated as single character. Example: The string '$B15' (corresponds to '±5') consists of 2 characters. See →character string literal for more examples for those combinations.

Inputs, return value

	Identifier	→Data type	Description
Inputs:	`IN1`	`STRING`	1st input value (= string in which the searching is done)
	`IN2`	`STRING`	2nd input value (= string which is searched for)
Return value:	–	`USINT`, `UINT`, `UDINT`, `ULINT`, `SINT`, `INT`, `DINT` or `LINT`(corresponds to →generic data type `ANY_INT`)

Input EN and output ENO are available when →calling the block. See "Execution control: EN, ENO" for information on input EN and output ENO.

See:

"Blocks for safe logic" whether this block is supported for developing safety-relevant applications.
"Highlighting safe logic in the FBD-editor" for the effects when using the block as a block for safe logic.

Example for usage within ST-editor

PROGRAM Test

VAR

        result1, result2, result3, result4, result5, result6, result7 : INT;

        str6 : STRING[1];

    END_VAR

    result1 := FIND(IN1 := 'ASTRING_NEWSTRING', IN2 := 'STRING');     (* The variable 'result1' evaluates to '2'. *)

    result2 := FIND(IN1 := 'ASTRING_NEWSTRING', IN2 := 'String');     (* The variable 'result2' evaluates to '0'. Reason: The strings differ regarding their case sensitivity. *)

    result3 := FIND(IN1 := 'ASTRING_NEWSTRING', IN2 := 'NEW');        (* The variable 'result3' evaluates to '9'. *)

    result4 := FIND(IN1 := 'ASTRING_NEWSTRING', IN2 := 'X');          (* The variable 'result4' evaluates to '0'. *)

    result5 := FIND(IN1 := '$B15', IN2 := '5');                       (* The variable 'result5' evaluates to '2'. *)

    result6 := FIND(IN1 := 'ASTRING', IN2 := str6);                   (* The variable 'result6' evaluates to '1'. Reason: An empty string is searched for. *)

    result7 := FIND(IN1 := 'ASTRING', IN2 := '$00');                  (* The variable 'result7' evaluates to '1'. Reason: An empty string is searched for because '$00' is an empty string. *)

END_PROGRAM

When creating your application within the ST-editor, enter a call of a block by typing the text as requested by the syntax or use Content Assist.