function index = findtermslow(desired_term, termlist, istart, ifinish)

% index = findtermslow(desired_term, termlist, istart, ifinish)
%
% This function searches for a string among a collection of strings.
%
% On input:
%
%   desired_term = the string for which we search.
%   termlist is a structure, with the collection of terms
%            stored as termlist(k).term, k=1:length(termlist).
%   istart = index in termlist from which the search should begin.
%            The default value is 1.
%   ifinish = index in termlist at which the search should end.
%            The default value is length(termlist).
% On output:
%
%   index   = the index of the desired term in the termlist.
%   index   = 0 if the term is not found among terms istart through 
%                  ifinish.
%
% This program is very slow, and is provided just as a demonstration
% of working with Matlab strings and structures.
%
% Example:
%   termlist(1).term = 'my'; termlist(2).term = 'over'; 
%   termlist(3).term = 'wanted'; termlist(4).term = 'zebra';
% Then
%   findtermslow('over',termlist)         returns 2.
%   findtermslow('over',termlist,2,4)     returns 2.
%   findtermslow('over',termlist,3,4)     returns 0.
%
% Dianne P. O'Leary  08/2008

% If ifinish is not specified, we search to the end of the collection.

if (nargin < 4)
   ifinish = length(termlist);
end

% If istart is not specified, we search from the beginning of the collection.

if (nargin < 3)
   istart = 1;
end

% Search the collection sequentially until a match is found or until
% every term has been checked.

index = 0;

for k=istart:ifinish

    if strcmp(desired_term, termlist(k).term)
       index = k;
       break
    end
end