The `FIND` and `FINDB` functions in Excel are used to locate the position of a specific substring within a text string. However, there are some variations and specific use cases for each:
FIND Function
FIND(find_text, within_text, [start_num])
- Purpose: The `FIND` function is used to find the position of one text string within another. It is case-sensitive but does not support wildcard characters.
- Syntax:
- `find_text`: The text you want to find.
- `within_text`: The text containing the string you want to find.
- `[start_num]` (optional): The character number in `within_text` at which to start the search. If omitted, it defaults to 1.
- Example:
- `=FIND(“M”, “Example”)` will return 2 because “M” is the second character in “Example”.
- `=FIND(“m”, “Example”)` will return an error because the function is case-sensitive.
FINDB Function
FINDB(find_text, within_text, [start_num])
- Purpose: The `FINDB` function is similar to `FIND` but is designed for use with double-byte character set (DBCS) languages, such as Japanese, Chinese, and Korean. In this function, each double-byte character is counted as 2.
- Syntax:
- The arguments are the same as the `FIND` function, but the function handles double-byte characters differently.
- Example:
- Using `FINDB` would typically be the same as `FIND` in a single-byte language environment. It becomes relevant when working in environments where DBCS is the standard, and it affects character count accordingly.
Key Points
- Both functions will return the location as a numeric value where the substring begins in the main text.
- If the `find_text` does not exist within the `within_text`, both functions will return a `#VALUE!` error.
- `FIND` and `FINDB` are case-sensitive. If you need a non-case-sensitive search, consider using the `SEARCH` function instead.
- For DBCS language support, ensure your Excel version and environment are set up accordingly to use these functions effectively.
These functions are particularly useful for tasks involving parsing text or extracting specific substrings from larger text values.
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