use ! in string php code example
Example: like %% inside the string php
strpos('STRING', 'SEARCH_ITEM');
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preg_match('~' . preg_quote('.SEARCH_ITEM.', '~') . '~', 'STRING');
strpos('STRING', 'SEARCH_ITEM');
--------------OR--------------------
preg_match('~' . preg_quote('.SEARCH_ITEM.', '~') . '~', 'STRING');