corona - Lua search through table -

i working on game project using corona sdk , running issue. trying use string.find() in loop test determine if value in table , if so, add value table. problem since string.find()/string.match not read duplicates in case (assuming loop reason why). having "1102", "1103" instead of "1102", "1102", "1103", "1102", in "copy" table how trying do. suggestions?

database =  {  {name="test", serial="1102", img="src/1.png"},  {name="test2", serial="1103", img="src/2.png"},  {name="test3", serial="1104", img="src/3.png"} }  list =  {  "1102",  "1102",  "1103",  "1102" }  copy = {} n=1  i=1, #database  if string.find(database[i].serial, tostring(list[n]))     table.insert(copy, database[i].img)    n=n+1  end end     i=1, #copy      print(copy[i]) end 

using nested loop works.

for lk, lv in ipairs(list)   dk, dv in ipairs(database)     if string.find(dv.serial, tostring(lv))        table.insert(copy, dv.img)     end   end end 

i'm using ipairs, similar for i=1, #list do.