local function hasValue(tbl, str)
	
	local f = false
	
		for ind, val in pairs(tbl) do
		
				if type(val) == "table" then
			
				 	hasValue(val, str)

				else
						if type(val) == "string" then
			 
							if string.gsub(val, '^%s*(.-)%s*$', '%1') == string.gsub(str, '^%s*(.-)%s*$', '%1') then 
								f = true
							end

						end
				end
		end
	
	return f
	
end

function split(inputstr, sep) sep=sep or '%s' 
	
	local t={}  
	
	for field, s in string.gmatch(inputstr, "([^"..sep.."]*)("..sep.."?)") do 
		
		field = string.gsub(field, '^%s*(.-)%s*$', '%1')
		
		table.insert(t, field)  
		
		if s=="" then 
			
			return t 
		end 
	end 

end

	function tableAsString(tbl)
	toReturn = "{"
	for ind, val in pairs(tbl) do
		if type(val) == "table" then
			toReturn = toReturn .. (type(ind) == "number" and "" or ind .. "=") .. tableAsString(val) .. ","
		else
			local newVal
			if type(val) == "string" then
				newVal = "\"" .. val .. "\""
			else
				newVal = val
			end
			toReturn = toReturn .. (type(ind) == "number" and "" or ind .. "=") .. newVal .. ","
		end
	end
	
	toReturn = toReturn:sub(1,-2) .. "}" -- remove trailing "," and close table
	
	return toReturn
end


	local b = {}
	local a = {}
	
	local str = 'alpha, bravo, charlie, delta'
	 b = split(str, ',')
	table.insert(a, b)
	
	local str = 'apple, kiwi, banana, pear'
	 b = split(str, ',')
	table.insert(a, b)
	
	local str = 'carrot, brocoli, cabage, potatoe'
	 b = split(str, ',')
	table.insert(a, b)
	
	print(tableAsString(a))
	print(hasValue(a, 'brocoli'))