code: public int getIndexOfField(String fieldName) {
  		List<String> fnms = this.getFieldNames();
  		for (int i = 0; i < fnms.size(); i++) {
  			if (fnms.get(i).equals(fieldName))
  				return i;
  		}
  		return -1;
  	}
docs: Answer the index of the field with the given name within the list of all fields.
  <br/>Answer -1 if a field with the given name does not exist.
  @param fieldName
  @return