--- parser3/src/include/pa_string.h	2003/09/26 13:36:35	1.149
+++ parser3/src/include/pa_string.h	2003/12/17 07:34:11	1.154
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 #ifndef PA_STRING_H
 #define PA_STRING_H
 
-static const char* IDENT_STRING_H="$Date: 2003/09/26 13:36:35 $";
+static const char * const IDENT_STRING_H="$Date: 2003/12/17 07:34:11 $";
 
 // includes
 
@@ -298,10 +298,15 @@ public:
 		size_t pos(const Body substr, size_t offset=0) const { 
 			if(!substr.length())
 				return STRING_NOT_FOUND; // in this case CORD_str returns 0 [parser users got used to -1]
+
+			// CORD_str checks for bad offset [CORD_chr does not]
 			return CORD_str(body, offset, substr.body); 
 		}
 		size_t pos(char c, 
 			size_t offset=0) const {
+			if(offset>=length()) // CORD_chr does not check that [and ABORT's in that case]
+				return STRING_NOT_FOUND;
+
 			return CORD_chr(body, offset, c);
 		}
 
@@ -335,8 +340,8 @@ public:
 
 private:
 
-	Languages langs; ///< string characters lang
 	Body body; ///< all characters of string
+	Languages langs; ///< string characters lang
 
 	const char* v() const;
 
@@ -345,10 +350,11 @@ private:
 
 public:
 
+	static const String Empty;
+
 	explicit String(const char* cstr=0, size_t helper_length=0, bool tainted=false);
 	explicit String(const C cstr, bool tainted=false);
 	String(Body abody, Language alang): body(abody), langs(alang) {
-		assert(!body.is_empty());
 		ASSERT_STRING_INVARIANT(*this);
 	}
 	String(const String& src): body(src.body), langs(src.langs) {