FUNCTION string2z,s

@elements
n=N_ELEMENTS(s)
z=INTARR(n)
FOR i=0,n-1 DO BEGIN
    s1=strlowcase(STRTRIM(s[i],2))
    z[i]=WHERE(s1 EQ elements)
ENDFOR

IF n EQ 1 THEN z=z[0]

RETURN,z
END