Decimal.CompareTo Method (Decimal)
Compares this instance to a specified Decimal object and returns a comparison of their relative values.
Assembly: mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)
Parameters
- value
-
Type:
System.Decimal
The object to compare with this instance.
Return Value
Type: System.Int32A signed number indicating the relative values of this instance and value.
Return value | Meaning |
|---|---|
Less than zero | This instance is less than value. |
Zero | This instance is equal to value. |
Greater than zero | This instance is greater than value. |
Implements
IComparable(Of T).CompareTo(T)This method implements the System.IComparable(Of T) interface and performs slightly better than the Decimal.CompareTo method because it does not have to convert the value parameter to an object.
Depending on your programming language, it might be possible to code a CompareTo method where the parameter type has fewer bits (is narrower) than the instance type. This is possible because some programming languages perform an implicit widening conversion that represents the parameter as a type with as many bits as the instance.
For example, suppose the instance type is Int32 and the parameter type is Byte. The Microsoft C# compiler generates instructions to represent the parameter as an Int32 object, then generates a Int32.CompareTo method to compare the values of the Int32 instance and the Int32 parameter representation.
Consult your programming language's documentation to determine whether its compiler performs implicit widening conversions on numeric types.
The following code example demonstrates generic and nongeneric versions of the CompareTo method for several value and reference types.
' This example demonstrates the generic and non-generic versions of the ' 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. Imports System Class Sample Public Shared Sub Main() Dim nl As String = Environment.NewLine Dim msg As String = _ "{0}The following is the result of using the generic and non-generic{0}" & _ "versions of the CompareTo method for several base types:{0}" Dim now As DateTime = DateTime.Now ' Time span = 11 days, 22 hours, 33 minutes, 44 seconds Dim tsX As New TimeSpan(11, 22, 33, 44) ' Version = 1.2.333.4 Dim versX As New Version("1.2.333.4") ' Guid = CA761232-ED42-11CE-BACD-00AA0057B223 Dim guidX As New Guid("{CA761232-ED42-11CE-BACD-00AA0057B223}") Dim a1 As [Boolean] = True, a2 As [Boolean] = True Dim b1 As [Byte] = 1, b2 As [Byte] = 1 Dim c1 As Int16 = -2, c2 As Int16 = 2 Dim d1 As Int32 = 3, d2 As Int32 = 3 Dim e1 As Int64 = 4, e2 As Int64 = -4 Dim f1 As [Decimal] = -5.5D, f2 As [Decimal] = 5.5D Dim g1 As [Single] = 6.6F, g2 As [Single] = 6.6F Dim h1 As [Double] = 7.7, h2 As [Double] = -7.7 Dim i1 As [Char] = "A"c, i2 As [Char] = "A"c Dim j1 As String = "abc", j2 As String = "abc" Dim k1 As DateTime = now, k2 As DateTime = now Dim l1 As TimeSpan = tsX, l2 As TimeSpan = tsX Dim m1 As Version = versX, m2 As New Version("2.0") Dim n1 As Guid = guidX, n2 As Guid = guidX ' The following types are not CLS-compliant. ' SByte, UInt16, UInt32, UInt64 Console.WriteLine(msg, nl) Try ' The second and third Show method call parameters are automatically boxed because ' the second and third Show method declaration arguments expect type Object. Show("Boolean: ", a1, a2, a1.CompareTo(a2), a1.CompareTo(CObj(a2))) Show("Byte: ", b1, b2, b1.CompareTo(b2), b1.CompareTo(CObj(b2))) Show("Int16: ", c1, c2, c1.CompareTo(c2), c1.CompareTo(CObj(c2))) Show("Int32: ", d1, d2, d1.CompareTo(d2), d1.CompareTo(CObj(d2))) Show("Int64: ", e1, e2, e1.CompareTo(e2), e1.CompareTo(CObj(e2))) Show("Decimal: ", f1, f2, f1.CompareTo(f2), f1.CompareTo(CObj(f2))) Show("Single: ", g1, g2, g1.CompareTo(g2), g1.CompareTo(CObj(g2))) Show("Double: ", h1, h2, h1.CompareTo(h2), h1.CompareTo(CObj(h2))) Show("Char: ", i1, i2, i1.CompareTo(i2), i1.CompareTo(CObj(i2))) Show("String: ", j1, j2, j1.CompareTo(j2), j1.CompareTo(CObj(j2))) Show("DateTime: ", k1, k2, k1.CompareTo(k2), k1.CompareTo(CObj(k2))) Show("TimeSpan: ", l1, l2, l1.CompareTo(l2), l1.CompareTo(CObj(l2))) Show("Version: ", m1, m2, m1.CompareTo(m2), m1.CompareTo(CObj(m2))) Show("Guid: ", n1, n2, n1.CompareTo(n2), n1.CompareTo(CObj(n2))) ' Console.WriteLine("{0}The following types are not CLS-compliant:", nl) Console.WriteLine("SByte, UInt16, UInt32, UInt64") Catch e As Exception Console.WriteLine(e) End Try End Sub 'Main Public Shared Sub Show(caption As String, var1 As [Object], var2 As [Object], _ resultGeneric As Integer, resultNonGeneric As Integer) Dim relation As String Console.Write(caption) If resultGeneric = resultNonGeneric Then If resultGeneric < 0 Then relation = "less than" ElseIf resultGeneric > 0 Then relation = "greater than" Else relation = "equal to" End If 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) End If End Sub 'Show End Class 'Sample ' '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, UInt16, UInt32, UInt64 '
Available since 8
.NET Framework
Available since 2.0
Portable Class Library
Supported in: portable .NET platforms
Silverlight
Available since 2.0
Windows Phone Silverlight
Available since 7.0
Windows Phone
Available since 8.1