firebird - equivalent of stristr() in Stored Procedure.

hi Guys, I'm using Firebird 1.5 with PHP5. I have a problem where by I am trying to do the equivelant of: $a = 'A'; $b = 'AG'; if (stristr($b, $a)) { // do something. } Inside a Stored procedure, where $a and $b are both input variables to the stored procedure. The Interbase Lang Ref (PDF) doesn't help me here - I've tried all sorts of forms of syntax using CONTAINS and LIKE but it all gives syntax errors... (which didn't surprise me!) Then I thought that I could used Ard Biesheuvels php_ibase_udf UDF lib for firebird, php_ibase_udf.c is in the php cvs (somewhere); this lib allows access to php functions defined in your calling scripts. at any rate I get BLR type errors when I tried to use the UDFs (btw googling php_ibase_udf.c doesn't return a lot, but you will definitely find one email mentioning the BLR error!!). Actually I have tried setting up this UDF lib on 3 different servers (all fbird1.5/php5 - different minor versions) with out any luck. does anyone have a clue as to how do the equivalent of the PHP above inside a firebird stored procedure? or possibly can point out so good literature/examples (all the good firebird stuff seems to be in russian) on/of 'advanced' stored procedures. alternatively is there anyone out there that has gotten the php_ibase_udf UDF lib to work (Lester Caine have you tried it yet?, I ask you specifically because your name often pops up on php lists in relation to firebird :-). before any says: "why not ask the developer" - we'll his is an aquaintance of mine, I have his mobile number and I have asked him!, its just a case of he has _no_ time (due to dissitation/research commitments) to dig into the problem and I know that he will help when he gets some free time again, but for now I'm on mine own. hope somebody can give me a clue :-), thanks and regards, Jochem