how do i detemen how long a text string...

Use the InStr function to figure out the location of "hi". Then subtract that value from the length of the stirng (returned by the Len function).

Please post an example of the text you want to search and the result you expect.

OK, I don't see how that has anything to do with your original question. ;-) I would do this (assuming that these lines are in a disk file):

hFile = FreeFile
Open "d:\path\filename.ini" For Input As hFile
Do Until EOF(hFile)
' Read a line
Line Input #hFile, sText
' If line contains "IconIndex"...
If InStr(sText, "IconIndex") Then
' Find equal sign
Equal = InStr(sText, "=")
' If found...
If Equal Then
' Extract text following equal sign,
' trim spaces and convert to value
IconIndex = Val(Trim(Mid(sText, Equal + 1)))
End If
End If
Loop
Close hFile

Dim Line As Variant
Dim Lines() As String
Lines = Split(DesktopText.Text, vbCrLf)

For Each Line In Lines
' If line contains "IconIndex"...
If InStr(Line, "IconIndex") Then
' Find equal sign
Equal = InStr(Line, "=")
' If found...
If Equal Then
' Extract text following equal sign,
' trim spaces and convert to value
IconIndex = Val(Trim(Mid(Line, Equal + 1)))
End If
End If
Next