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IndexOfName

function IndexOfName(Name: string): Integer;

Example​

procedure FindSetting(const Items: TStringList; var FoundAt: Integer);
begin
  Items.NameValueSeparator := '=';
  FoundAt := Items.IndexOfName('Mode');
end;

Usage​

IndexOfName finds the first entry whose text begins with the requested name followed by NameValueSeparator.

  • Keep key spelling and whitespace canonical; Mode and Mode are different names.
  • Duplicate names are allowed and only one matching index is returned.
  • A sorted list is sorted by complete entry text, not a separate key column; preserve its comparison invariants.

Additional Technical Info​

IndexOfName is declared by hidden ancestor TStrings and is normally used through a concrete visible descendant such as TStringList. It searches name/value syntax; it does not search arbitrary substrings.

Source-backed behaviour​

The base implementation finds the first NameValueSeparator in each entry, compares the preceding name through virtual CompareStrings, and returns the first match. Entries without the separator are ignored.

TStringList has optimized linear and, under narrow sorted/non-locale/non-duplicate conditions, binary paths. Its case and locale settings apply. The requested Name is not trimmed, and only a separator immediately after the compared name qualifies.

Names extracts a key by index. ValueFromIndex returns the value at a known index.

Official RTL references​

Created 2026-07-15