String::CompareTo Method (String)
Assembly: mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)
Parameters
- strB
- Type: System::String
The string to compare with this instance.
Return Value
Type: System::Int32A 32-bit signed integer that indicates whether this instance precedes, follows, or appears in the same position in the sort order as the value parameter.
Value | Condition |
|---|---|
Less than zero | This instance precedes strB. |
Zero | This instance has the same position in the sort order as strB. |
Greater than zero | This instance follows strB. -or- strB is nullptr. |
Implements
IComparable<T>::CompareTo(T)This method performs a word (case-sensitive and culture-sensitive) comparison using the current culture. For more information about word, string, and ordinal sorts, see System.Globalization::CompareOptions.
Caution |
|---|
The CompareTo method was designed primarily for use in sorting or alphabetizing operations. It should not be used when the primary purpose of the method call is to determine whether two strings are equivalent. To determine whether two strings are equivalent, call the Equals method. |
For more information about the behavior of this method, see the Remarks section of the Compare method.
This method implements the System::IComparable<T> interface, and performs slightly better than the String::CompareTo(Object) method because it does not have to determine whether the value argument is a mutable value type that must be boxed, and it does not have to cast its parameter from an Object to a String.
The following example demonstrates how you can use the CompareTo method with another String.
using namespace System; String^ CompareStrings( String^ str1, String^ str2 ) { // compare the values, using the CompareTo method on the first string int cmpVal = str1->CompareTo( str2 ); if ( cmpVal == 0 ) // the values are the same return "The strings have the same value!"; else if ( cmpVal > 0 ) // the first value is greater than the second value return "The first string is greater than the second string!"; // the second string is greater than the first string else // the second string is greater than the first string return "The second string is greater than the first string!"; } int main() { String^ strFirst = "Goodbye"; String^ strSecond = "Hello"; String^ strThird = "a small String*"; String^ strFourth = "goodbye"; // compare a String* to itself Console::WriteLine( CompareStrings( strFirst, strFirst ) ); Console::WriteLine( CompareStrings( strFirst, strSecond ) ); Console::WriteLine( CompareStrings( strFirst, strThird ) ); // compare a String* to another String* that varies only by case Console::WriteLine( CompareStrings( strFirst, strFourth ) ); Console::WriteLine( CompareStrings( strFourth, strFirst ) ); } // This code example displays the following: // // The strings have the same value! // The second string is greater than the first string! // The first string is greater than the second string! // The first string is greater than the second string! // The second string is greater than the first string!
The following example demonstrates generic and non-generic versions of the CompareTo method for several value and reference types.
// CompareTo method for several base types. // The non-generic version takes a parameter of type Object, while the generic // version takes a type-specific parameter, such as Boolean, Int32, or Double. using namespace System; void Show( String^ caption, Object^ var1, Object^ var2, int resultGeneric, int resultNonGeneric ) { String^ relation; Console::Write( caption ); if ( resultGeneric == resultNonGeneric ) { if ( resultGeneric < 0 ) relation = "less than"; else if ( resultGeneric > 0 ) relation = "greater than"; else relation = "equal to"; Console::WriteLine( "{0} is {1} {2}", var1, relation, var2 ); } // The following condition will never occur because the generic and non-generic // CompareTo methods are equivalent. else { Console::WriteLine( "Generic CompareTo = {0}; non-generic CompareTo = {1}", resultGeneric, resultNonGeneric ); } } int main() { String^ nl = Environment::NewLine; String^ msg = "{0}The following is the result of using the generic and non-generic{0}" "versions of the CompareTo method for several base types:{0}"; Object^ obj; // An Object used to insure CompareTo(Object) is called. DateTime now = DateTime::Now; // Time span = 11 days, 22 hours, 33 minutes, 44 seconds TimeSpan tsX = TimeSpan(11,22,33,44); // Version = 1.2.333.4 Version^ versX = gcnew Version( "1.2.333.4" ); // Guid = CA761232-ED42-11CE-BACD-00AA0057B223 Guid guidX = Guid( "{CA761232-ED42-11CE-BACD-00AA0057B223}"); Boolean a1 = true,a2 = true; Byte b1 = 1,b2 = 1; Int16 c1 = -2,c2 = 2; Int32 d1 = 3,d2 = 3; Int64 e1 = 4,e2 = -4; Decimal f1 = Decimal(-5.5), f2 = Decimal(5.5); Single g1 = 6.6f,g2 = 6.6f; Double h1 = 7.7,h2 = -7.7; Char i1 = 'A',i2 = 'A'; String^ j1 = "abc", ^j2 = "abc"; DateTime k1 = now,k2 = now; TimeSpan l1 = tsX,l2 = tsX; Version^ m1 = versX, ^m2 = gcnew Version( "2.0" ); Guid n1 = guidX,n2 = guidX; // The following types are not CLS-compliant. SByte w1 = 8,w2 = 8; UInt16 x1 = 9,x2 = 9; UInt32 y1 = 10,y2 = 10; UInt64 z1 = 11,z2 = 11; // Console::WriteLine( msg, nl ); try { Show( "Boolean: ", a1, a2, a1.CompareTo( a2 ), a1.CompareTo( a2 ) ); Show( "Byte: ", b1, b2, b1.CompareTo( b2 ), b1.CompareTo( b2 ) ); Show( "Int16: ", c1, c2, c1.CompareTo( c2 ), c1.CompareTo( c2 ) ); Show( "Int32: ", d1, d2, d1.CompareTo( d2 ), d1.CompareTo( d2 ) ); Show( "Int64: ", e1, e2, e1.CompareTo( e2 ), e1.CompareTo( e2 ) ); Show( "Decimal: ", f1, f2, f1.CompareTo( f2 ), f1.CompareTo( f2 ) ); Show( "Single: ", g1, g2, g1.CompareTo( g2 ), g1.CompareTo( g2 ) ); Show( "Double: ", h1, h2, h1.CompareTo( h2 ), h1.CompareTo( h2 ) ); Show( "Char: ", i1, i2, i1.CompareTo( i2 ), i1.CompareTo( i2 ) ); // Use an anonymous object to hide the String object. obj = j2; Show( "String: ", j1, j2, j1->CompareTo( j2 ), j1->CompareTo( obj ) ); Show( "DateTime:", k1, k2, k1.CompareTo( k2 ), k1.CompareTo( k2 ) ); Show( "TimeSpan: ", l1, l2, l1.CompareTo( l2 ), l1.CompareTo( l2 ) ); // Use an anonymous object to hide the Version object. obj = m2; Show( "Version: ", m1, m2, m1->CompareTo( m2 ), m1->CompareTo( obj ) ); Show( "Guid: ", n1, n2, n1.CompareTo( n2 ), n1.CompareTo( n2 ) ); // Console::WriteLine( "{0}The following types are not CLS-compliant:", nl ); Show( "SByte: ", w1, w2, w1.CompareTo( w2 ), w1.CompareTo( w2 ) ); Show( "UInt16: ", x1, x2, x1.CompareTo( x2 ), x1.CompareTo( x2 ) ); Show( "UInt32: ", y1, y2, y1.CompareTo( y2 ), y1.CompareTo( y2 ) ); Show( "UInt64: ", z1, z2, z1.CompareTo( z2 ), z1.CompareTo( z2 ) ); } catch ( Exception^ e ) { Console::WriteLine( e ); } } /* This example produces the following results: The following is the result of using the generic and non-generic versions of the CompareTo method for several base types: Boolean: True is equal to True Byte: 1 is equal to 1 Int16: -2 is less than 2 Int32: 3 is equal to 3 Int64: 4 is greater than -4 Decimal: -5.5 is less than 5.5 Single: 6.6 is equal to 6.6 Double: 7.7 is greater than -7.7 Char: A is equal to A String: abc is equal to abc DateTime: 12/1/2003 5:37:46 PM is equal to 12/1/2003 5:37:46 PM TimeSpan: 11.22:33:44 is equal to 11.22:33:44 Version: 1.2.333.4 is less than 2.0 Guid: ca761232-ed42-11ce-bacd-00aa0057b223 is equal to ca761232-ed42-11ce-bacd-00 aa0057b223 The following types are not CLS-compliant: SByte: 8 is equal to 8 UInt16: 9 is equal to 9 UInt32: 10 is equal to 10 UInt64: 11 is equal to 11 */
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.
Caution