basic_string::compare

basic_string::compare

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Microsoft Visual Studio 2008/.NET Framework 3.5

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Visual C++ Standard Library

basic_string::compare

Performs a case sensitive comparison with a specified string to determine if the two strings are equal or if one is lexicographically less than the other.

int compare(
     const basic_string<CharType, Traits, Allocator>& _Str
) const;
int compare(
      size_type _Pos1, 
       size_type _Num1,
     const basic_string<CharType, Traits, Allocator>& _Str
) const;
int compare(
     size_type _Pos1,
     size_type _Num1,
      const basic_string<CharType, Traits, Allocator>& _Str, 
      size_type _Off, 
       size_type _Count
) const;
int compare(
      const value_type* _Ptr
) const;
int compare(
     size_type _Pos1,
     size_type _Num1,
      const value_type* _Ptr
) const;
int compare(
     size_type _Pos1,
     size_type _Num1,
      const value_type* _Ptr
       size_type _Num2
) const;

Parameters

_Str: The string that is to be compared to the operand string.
_Pos1: The index of the operand string at which the comparison begins.
_Num1: The maximum number of characters from the operand string to be compared.
_Num2: The maximum number of characters from the parameter string to be compared.
_Off: The index of the parameter string at which the comparison begins.
_Count: The maximum number of characters from the parameter string to be compared.
_Ptr: The C-string to be compared to the operand string.

Return Value

A negative value if the operand string is less than the parameter string; zero if the two strings are equal; or a positive value if the operand string is greater than the parameter string.

Remarks

The compare member functions compare either all or part of the parameter and operand strings depending on which in used.

The comparison performed is case sensitive.

Example

// basic_string_compare.cpp
// compile with: /EHsc
#include <string>
#include <iostream>

int main( ) 
{
   using namespace std;

   // The first member function compares
   // an operand string to a parameter string
   int comp1;
   string s1o ( "CAB" );
   string s1p ( "CAB" );
   cout << "The operand string is: " << s1o << endl;
   cout << "The parameter string is: " << s1p << endl;
   comp1 = s1o.compare ( s1p );
   if ( comp1 < 0 )
      cout << "The operand string is less than "
           << "the parameter string." << endl;
   else if ( comp1 == 0 )
      cout << "The operand string is equal to "
           << "the parameter string." << endl;
   else
      cout << "The operand string is greater than "
           << "the parameter string." << endl;
   cout << endl;

   // The second member function compares part of
   // an operand string to a parameter string
   int comp2a, comp2b;
   string s2o ( "AACAB" );
   string s2p ( "CAB" );
   cout << "The operand string is: " << s2o << endl;
   cout << "The parameter string is: " << s2p << endl;
   comp2a = s2o.compare (  2 , 3 , s2p );
   if ( comp2a < 0 )
      cout << "The last three characters of "
           << "the operand string\n are less than "
           << "the parameter string." << endl;
   else if ( comp2a == 0 )
      cout << "The last three characters of "
           << "the operand string\n are equal to "
           << "the parameter string." << endl;
   else
      cout << "The last three characters of "
           << "the operand string\n is greater than "
           << "the parameter string." << endl;

   comp2b = s2o.compare (  0 , 3 , s2p );
   if ( comp2b < 0 )
      cout << "The first three characters of "
           << "the operand string\n are less than "
           << "the parameter string." << endl;
   else if ( comp2b == 0 )
      cout << "The first three characters of "
           << "the operand string\n are equal to "
           << "the parameter string." << endl;
   else
      cout << "The first three characters of "
           << "the operand string\n is greater than "
           << "the parameter string." << endl;
   cout << endl;

   // The third member function compares part of
   // an operand string to part of a parameter string
   int comp3a;
   string s3o ( "AACAB" );
   string s3p ( "DCABD" );
   cout << "The operand string is: " << s3o << endl;
   cout << "The parameter string is: " << s3p << endl;
   comp3a = s3o.compare (  2 , 3 , s3p , 1 , 3 );
   if ( comp3a < 0 )
      cout << "The three characters from position 2 of "
           << "the operand string are less than\n "
           << "the 3 characters parameter string " 
           << "from position 1." << endl;
   else if ( comp3a == 0 )
      cout << "The three characters from position 2 of "
           << "the operand string are equal to\n "
           << "the 3 characters parameter string " 
           << "from position 1." << endl;
   else
      cout << "The three characters from position 2 of "
           << "the operand string is greater than\n "
           << "the 3 characters parameter string " 
           << "from position 1." << endl;
   cout << endl;

   // The fourth member function compares
   // an operand string to a parameter C-string
   int comp4a;
   string s4o ( "ABC" );
   const char* cs4p = "DEF";
   cout << "The operand string is: " << s4o << endl;
   cout << "The parameter C-string is: " << cs4p << endl;
   comp4a = s4o.compare ( cs4p );
   if ( comp4a < 0 )
      cout << "The operand string is less than "
           << "the parameter C-string." << endl;
   else if ( comp4a == 0 )
      cout << "The operand string is equal to "
           << "the parameter C-string." << endl;
   else
      cout << "The operand string is greater than "
           << "the parameter C-string." << endl;
   cout << endl;

   // The fifth member function compares part of
   // an operand string to a parameter C-string
   int comp5a;
   string s5o ( "AACAB" );
   const char* cs5p = "CAB";
   cout << "The operand string is: " << s5o << endl;
   cout << "The parameter string is: " << cs5p << endl;
   comp5a = s5o.compare (  2 , 3 , s2p );
   if ( comp5a < 0 )
      cout << "The last three characters of "
           << "the operand string\n are less than "
           << "the parameter C-string." << endl;
   else if ( comp5a == 0 )
      cout << "The last three characters of "
           << "the operand string\n are equal to "
           << "the parameter C-string." << endl;
   else
      cout << "The last three characters of "
           << "the operand string\n is greater than "
           << "the parameter C-string." << endl;
   cout << endl;

   // The sixth member function compares part of
   // an operand string to part of an equal length of
   // a parameter C-string
   int comp6a;
   string s6o ( "AACAB" );
   const char* cs6p = "ACAB";
   cout << "The operand string is: " << s6o << endl;
   cout << "The parameter C-string is: " << cs6p << endl;
   comp6a = s6o.compare (  1 , 3 , cs6p , 3 );
   if ( comp6a < 0 )
      cout << "The 3 characters from position 1 of "
           << "the operand string are less than\n "
           << "the first 3 characters of the parameter C-string." 
           << endl;
   else if ( comp6a == 0 )
      cout << "The 3 characters from position 2 of "
           << "the operand string are equal to\n "
           << "the first 3 characters of the parameter C-string." 
           <<  endl;
   else
      cout << "The 3 characters from position 2 of "
           << "the operand string is greater than\n "
           << "the first 3 characters of the parameter C-string." 
           << endl;
   cout << endl;
}

The operand string is: CAB
The parameter string is: CAB
The operand string is equal to the parameter string.

The operand string is: AACAB
The parameter string is: CAB
The last three characters of the operand string
 are equal to the parameter string.
The first three characters of the operand string
 are less than the parameter string.

The operand string is: AACAB
The parameter string is: DCABD
The three characters from position 2 of the operand string are equal to
 the 3 characters parameter string from position 1.

The operand string is: ABC
The parameter C-string is: DEF
The operand string is less than the parameter C-string.

The operand string is: AACAB
The parameter string is: CAB
The last three characters of the operand string
 are equal to the parameter C-string.

The operand string is: AACAB
The parameter C-string is: ACAB
The 3 characters from position 2 of the operand string are equal to
 the first 3 characters of the parameter C-string.

Requirements

Header: <string>

Namespace: std

Reference

basic_string Class

Other Resources

basic_string Members