ValuePosition ( valuelist ; searchvalue )

Get position number of the search value from the value list

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Michael Bijnens
freelance developer
/

Sample input:

ValuePosition (
a¶b¶c¶d¶e¶f" ;
"d"
)

Sample output:

Function definition: (Copy & paste into FileMaker's Edit Custom Function window)

/* ============================================
#
# Purpose:			result = position of the searchvalue in the valuelist
#
# Arthor:				Michael Bijnens
# Creation date:		24/02/2014
#
# Note:				recursive function
#
# Example:
#					valuelist 		= "a¶b¶c¶d¶e¶f"
#					searchvalue	= "d"
#					
#					output		=  4
#
=============================================*/

Let (
	[
		list			=	valuelist ;
		search		= 	searchvalue ;
		c_list			=	ValueCount ( list ) ;
		lastvalue		=	GetValue ( list ; c_list ) ;
		exist			=	PatternCount ( list ; search ) ;
		found		=	lastvalue = search ;
		newlist 		= 	Case (
							c_list > 1 ;
							LeftValues ( list ; c_list - 1 ) ;
							LeftValues ( list ; 1 )
						)
	] ;

// ------------------------------------------------------------  end Let

		Case (
					exist = False ;
					"" ;

					IsEmpty ( search ) ;
					False ;

					found = False ;
					ValuePosition ( newlist ; searchvalue ) ;

					found = True ;
					c_list
		)

)

This CF gives you the position number of the search value from the given value list ( array separated by ¶ ).

Comments

		oliver Jun 3, 2014
ValuePosition ( "aÂ¶bÂ¶cÂ¶bÂ¶a" ; "a" ) = 5; and ValuePosition ( "aÂ¶bÂ¶cÂ¶bÂ¶a" ; "bÂ¶c" ) returns empty!? But then it's not necessary to employ a recursive mechanism for finding the index of the first occurrence; simply use ValueCount ( Left ( valuelist ; Position ( valuelist ; searchvalue ; 1 ; 1 ) ) ) btw. â€¦ found = Case ( lastvalue = search ; True ; False ) is the same as found = lastvalue = search and exist = Case ( PatternCount ( list ; search ) = False and not IsEmpty ( search ) ; False ; True ) is simply exist = PatternCount ( list ; search )

		Michael Bijnens, Belgium Jun 4, 2014
Dear Oliver, As you can see my CF name = ValuePosition and not ValuePositionS. So its not made for more multi value searches. Try your simple example with numbers like ( 53 , 353, 121, 12 ). I have tried it in many different ways but it is not waterproof so thats why I use a recursive function.

		oliver Jun 4, 2014
Michael wrote: Try your simple example with numbers like ( 53 , 353, 121, 12 ) Michael â€“ you're right, I forgot a little detail; change it to ValueCount ( Left ( valuelist ; Position ( Â¶ & valuelist & Â¶ ; Â¶ & searchvalue & Â¶ ; 1 ; 1 ) ) ) and that'll give you exactly the same functionality without recursion. Also, note that your CF returns the last position, not the first one.

		Late to the party, Shanghai Jan 8, 2016
// I like to use this: /* ValuePosition( _valuelist; _value ) Parameters: _valuelist: a return-delimited string of values; _value: a single-line string. Returns: an integer identifying the listed position of (the first occurrence of) _value within _valuelist, or 0, whenever the _value is not listed. */ If( // return zero when no match occurs: IsEmpty( FilterValues( _valuelist; _value ) ); 0; // FileMaker 15 should provide something like this function for us, but doesn't â€¦ Let( [ // first, bracket the arguments supplied with "Â¶"s: _valuelist = "Â¶"&_valuelist&"Â¶"; _value = "Â¶"&_value&"Â¶"; // locate the "Â¶" character immediately preceding (the first occurrence of) _value: _position = Position( _valuelist; _value; 1; 1 ); // extract all the return characters BEFORE this _position: _returns = Filter( Left( _valuelist; _position ); "Â¶" ); // how many are there? _valuePosition = Length( _returns ) ]; _valuePosition ) )

		Michael Kupietz, Michael Kupietz FileMaker Consulting Nov 18, 2017
valuePosition ( "ABÂ¶BCÂ¶CD","B" ) returns an out-of-memory error due to runaway recursion.

Note: these functions are not guaranteed or supported by BrianDunning.com. Please contact the individual developer with any questions or problems.

ValuePosition ( valuelist ; searchvalue )

Comments

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