code: public static <ELEMENTTYPE> int getFirstIndex (@Nullable final ELEMENTTYPE [] aValues,
                                                   @Nullable final ELEMENTTYPE aSearchValue)
    {
      final int nLength = getSize (aValues);
      if (nLength > 0)
        for (int nIndex = 0; nIndex < nLength; ++nIndex)
          if (EqualsHelper.equals (aValues[nIndex], aSearchValue))
            return nIndex;
      return CGlobal.ILLEGAL_UINT;
    }
docs: Get the index of the passed search value in the passed value array.
  
  @param <ELEMENTTYPE>
  Array element type
  @param aValues
  The value array to be searched. May be <code>null</code>.
  @param aSearchValue
  The value to be searched. May be <code>null</code>.
  @return <code>-1</code> if the searched value is not contained, a value
  &ge; 0 otherwise.