package{
import flash.display.Sprite;
public class Main extends Sprite{
public function Main(){
var story:String = "It was a dark and stormy night...";
var pattern:String = "a";
var count:int = 0;
var startIndex:int = 0;
while (story.indexOf(pattern, startIndex) != -1) {
count++;
startIndex = story.indexOf(pattern, startIndex) + 1;
}
trace(count);
}
}
}