find()

[nirupama1]

data _null_;
xyz='She sells seashells? Yes, she does.';
startposexp=1-23;
whereisShe_ineg22=find(xyz,'She','i',startposexp);
put whereisShe_ineg22=;
run;

I should receive output whereisShe_ineg22=1 instead I am getting whereisShe_ineg22=14.
why?Let me  know.

Thanks,

Nirupama

[Astounding]

You should be using a value of 1 for STARTPOSEXP.  You are actually using a value of -22 (after performing math for 1 minus 23).  So the software computes the starting position by moving backwards from the right-hand side of the string.  Details are in the documentation for FIND.

[ballardw]

She sells seashells? Yes, she does.
                     ^
                     Position 22
             ^
             Postion 14

So you started searching backwards ad the Y.