# FIND\_IN\_SET

## Syntax

```sql
FIND_IN_SET(pattern, strlist)
```

## Description

Returns the index position where the given pattern occurs in a string list. The first argument is the pattern you want to search for. The second argument is a string containing comma-separated variables. If the second argument is of the [SET](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/data-types/string-data-types/set-data-type) data-type, the function is optimized to use bit arithmetic.

If the pattern does not occur in the string list or if the string list is an empty string, the function returns `0`. If either argument is `NULL`, the function returns `NULL`. The function does not return the correct result if the pattern contains a comma ("`,`") character.

## Examples

```sql
SELECT FIND_IN_SET('b','a,b,c,d') AS "Found Results";
+---------------+
| Found Results |
+---------------+
|             2 |
+---------------+
```

## See Also

* [ELT()](https://mariadb.com/docs/server/reference/sql-functions/string-functions/elt) function. Returns the N'th element from a set of strings.

<sub>*This page is licensed: GPLv2, originally from*</sub> [<sub>*fill\_help\_tables.sql*</sub>](https://github.com/MariaDB/server/blob/main/scripts/fill_help_tables.sql)

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