LOCATE and FINDSTR functions

Posted by Marc

LOCATE Function
When searching for a value in an array, you can use the common “LOCATE” function.
You need to specify  the dimension of the array, considering that you’re looking for a
string in a:

 valued array (separator= FM), you will use: LOCATE xxx IN array<1> SETTING

POS THEN…
 multivalued array (separator= VM), you will use: LOCATE xxx
IN array<1,1> SETTING POS THEN…
 subvalued array (separator= SM), you will use: LOCATE xxx
IN array<1,1,1> SETTING POS THEN…

Note:

– if the searched value is found,  variable “POS” indicates the position in the array
(after the “THEN”)
– if not found, “POS” indicates the next position immediately available in the array
(after the “ELSE”), e.g. dimension of the array +1.

Example 1:

For an array looking like this:  value1:@FM:value2:@FM:value3:@FM:value4

LOCATE "value2" IN array<1> SETTING POS THEN

...

END

will fill variable “POS” with “2”.

LOCATE "toto" IN array<1> SETTING POS THEN

...

END

will fill variable “POS” with “5”.

Need to find part of the content of a value in an array?

SUBSTRINGS() is the solution!

Example: You have to find a constant that may be PMUF or PMPR or anything else
looking like “PM…” in the array R.NEW(SW.AS.TYPE)

SCHED.TYPES  = SUBSTRINGS(R.NEW(SW.AS.TYPE),1,2)

LOCATE 'PM' IN SCHED.TYPES<1,1> SETTING POS THEN

END

An alternative to LOCATE is FINDSTR

Compared to LOCATE function, knowing the dimension of the array is not a pre-
requisite with FINDSTR.

Example:

YY.OR.MED.FM = ''

YY.OR.MED.VM = ''
YY.OR.MED.SM = ''

FINDSTR searched_value IN array SETTING YY.OR.MED.FM, YY.OR.MED.VM,
YY.OR.MED.SM ELSE YY.OR.MED.FM = “”

IF YY.OR.MED.FM THEN

...

END

You just need to adapt the correct data separator, depending on the structure of
the ARRAY.