Char.CompareTo Method (Object) (System)

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.NET Framework Class Library

Char.CompareTo Method (Object)

Compares this instance to a specified object and indicates whether this instance precedes, follows, or appears in the same position in the sort order as the specified Object.

Namespace: System
Assembly: mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)

Syntax

Visual Basic

Public Function CompareTo ( _
	value As Object _
) As Integer

public int CompareTo(
	Object value
)

Visual C++

public:
virtual int CompareTo(
	Object^ value
) sealed

abstract CompareTo : 
        value:Object -> int 
override CompareTo : 
        value:Object -> int

Parameters

value: Type: System.Object
An object to compare this instance to, or null.

Return Value

Type: System.Int32
A signed number indicating the position of this instance in the sort order in relation to the value parameter.

Return Value	Description
Less than zero	This instance precedes value.
Zero	This instance has the same position in the sort order as value.
Greater than zero	This instance follows value. -or- value is null.

Return Value

Description

Less than zero

This instance precedes value.

Zero

This instance has the same position in the sort order as value.

Greater than zero

This instance follows value.

-or-

value is null.

Implements

IComparable.CompareTo(Object)

Exceptions

Exception	Condition
ArgumentException	value is not a Char object.

Remarks

The CompareTo method implements the IComparable interface.

The value parameter must be null or an instance of Char; otherwise, an exception is thrown.

The comparison performed by this method is based on the encoded values of this instance and value, not necessarily their lexicographical characteristics. Any instance of Char, regardless of its value, is considered greater than null.

Examples

The following code example demonstrates CompareTo.

Visual Basic


Imports System

Module CompareToSample

    Sub Main()

        Dim chA As Char
        chA = "A"c
        Dim chB As Char
        chB = "B"c

        Console.WriteLine(chA.CompareTo("A"c))  ' Output: "0" (meaning they're equal)
        Console.WriteLine("b"c.CompareTo(chB))  ' Output: "32" (meaning 'b' is 32 greater than 'B')
	Console.WriteLine(chA.CompareTo(chB))	' Output: "-1" (meaning 'A' is less than 'B' by 1)

    End Sub

End Module


using System;

public class CompareToSample {
	public static void Main() {
		char chA = 'A';
		char chB = 'B';

		Console.WriteLine(chA.CompareTo('A'));	// Output: "0" (meaning they're equal)
		Console.WriteLine('b'.CompareTo(chB));	// Output: "32" (meaning 'b' is greater than 'B' by 32)
		Console.WriteLine(chA.CompareTo(chB));	// Output: "-1" (meaning 'A' is less than 'B' by 1)
	}
}

Visual C++


using namespace System;
int main()
{
   char chA = 'A';
   char chB = 'B';
   Console::WriteLine( chA.CompareTo( 'A' ) ); // Output: "0" (meaning they're equal)
   Console::WriteLine( 'b'.CompareTo( chB ) ); // Output: "32" (meaning 'b' is greater than 'B' by 32)
   Console::WriteLine( chA.CompareTo( chB ) ); // Output: "-1" (meaning 'A' is less than 'B' by 1)
}

Version Information

.NET Framework

Supported in: 4, 3.5, 3.0, 2.0, 1.1, 1.0

.NET Framework Client Profile

Supported in: 4, 3.5 SP1

Platforms

Windows 7, Windows Vista SP1 or later, Windows XP SP3, Windows XP SP2 x64 Edition, Windows Server 2008 (Server Core not supported), Windows Server 2008 R2 (Server Core supported with SP1 or later), Windows Server 2003 SP2

The .NET Framework does not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.

Reference

Char Structure

CompareTo Overload

System Namespace

IComparable

Char.Equals