code: public int getColumnIndex(final String colName) {
          int idx = -1;
          if (columnIndex != null) {
              final Integer i = columnIndex.get(colName);
              if (i != null) {
                  idx = i.intValue();
              }
          }
          return idx;
      }
docs: Returns the index of the column name.
  
  @author Benoit Xhenseval
  @param colName
  @return -1 if the column name does not exist.