---
url: >-
  /statelake/scripting-reference/functions-and-procedures/string-functions/pos.md
---

# Pos

**Pos** returns the position of the first occurrence of **Pattern** in string **S**.

The first position in **S** is 1, the second position in **S** is 2 e.t.c.

By default, the search for **Pattern** starts at position 1 in the string **S**,

**Pattern** can have any number of characters.

**Pos** will return zero (0) -

* If **Pattern** is not found.
* If either **Pattern** or **S** is an empty string with a length of zero (0).
* If **Pattern** is longer than **S**.

**Pos** is case-sensitive so the characters are matched exactly.

Please also refer to the function [PosEx](/statelake/scripting-reference/functions-and-procedures/string-functions/posex) which performs a similar function, but allows you to offset the starting search position.

**Declaration**: function Pos( const Pattern, S : string) : integer;

Several examples follow.

```pascal
procedure OnMapEvent(var Value:Variant);
begin

  Value := Pos('-','ab-cde-fgh'); //returns 3

  Value := Pos('00', '12-1234-0012345-00'); // returns 9

  Value := Pos('xx', 'abcdef'); // returns 0

  Value := Pos('x', ''); // returns 0

  Value := Pos('', 'xxx'); // returns 0

  Value := Pos('a', 'AAA'); // returns 0

end;
```