CompareInfo.Compare Method (String, Int32, Int32, String, Int32, Int32, CompareOptions)
[ This article is for Windows Phone 8 developers. If you’re developing for Windows 10, see the latest documentation. ]
Compares a section of one string with a section of another string using the specified CompareOptions value and returns an integer that indicates their relationship to one another in the sort order.
Assembly: mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)
'Declaration Public Overridable Function Compare ( _ string1 As String, _ offset1 As Integer, _ length1 As Integer, _ string2 As String, _ offset2 As Integer, _ length2 As Integer, _ options As CompareOptions _ ) As Integer
Parameters
- string1
- Type: System.String
The first string to compare.
- offset1
- Type: System.Int32
The zero-based index of the character in string1 at which to start comparing.
- length1
- Type: System.Int32
The number of consecutive characters in string1 to compare.
- string2
- Type: System.String
The second string to compare.
- offset2
- Type: System.Int32
The zero-based index of the character in string2 at which to start comparing.
- length2
- Type: System.Int32
The number of consecutive characters in string2 to compare.
- options
- Type: System.Globalization.CompareOptions
The CompareOptions value that defines how string1 and string2 should be compared. options is either the value Ordinal used by itself, or the bitwise combination of one or more of the following values: IgnoreCase, IgnoreSymbols, IgnoreNonSpace, IgnoreWidth, IgnoreKanaType, and StringSort.
Return Value
Type: System.Int32An integer that indicates the relationship between the two strings in the sort order, as follows:
Value | Condition |
|---|---|
zero | The two strings are equal. |
less than zero | The specified section of string1 is less than the specified section of string2. |
greater than zero | The specified section of string1 is greater than the specified section of string2. |
| Exception | Condition |
|---|---|
| ArgumentOutOfRangeException | offset1 or length1 or offset2 or length2 is less than zero. -or- offset1 is greater than or equal to the number of characters in string1. -or- offset2 is greater than or equal to the number of characters in string2. -or- length1 is greater than the number of characters from offset1 to the end of string1. -or- length2 is greater than the number of characters from offset2 to the end of string2. |
| ArgumentException | options contains an invalid CompareOptions value. |
If a security decision depends on a string comparison or a case change, the application should use the InvariantCulture to ensure that the behavior is consistent regardless of the culture settings of the operating system.
Version Notes
Windows Phone
The Compare method does not throw the expected exception, ArgumentOutOfRangeException, if you pass an invalid CompareOptions object.The following example compares portions of two strings using different CompareOptions settings.
Imports System.Globalization Public Class Example Public Shared Sub Demo(ByVal outputBlock As System.Windows.Controls.TextBlock) ' Defines the strings to compare. Dim myStr1 As [String] = "My Uncle Bill's clients" Dim myStr2 As [String] = "My uncle bills clients" ' Creates a CompareInfo that uses the InvariantCulture. Dim myComp As CompareInfo = CultureInfo.InvariantCulture.CompareInfo ' Compares two strings using myComp. outputBlock.Text += String.Format("Comparing ""{0}"" and ""{1}""", myStr1.Substring(3, 10), myStr2.Substring(3, 10)) & vbCrLf outputBlock.Text += String.Format(" With no CompareOptions : {0}", myComp.Compare(myStr1, 3, 10, myStr2, 3, 10)) & vbCrLf outputBlock.Text += String.Format(" With None : {0}", myComp.Compare(myStr1, 3, 10, myStr2, 3, 10, CompareOptions.None)) & vbCrLf outputBlock.Text += String.Format(" With Ordinal : {0}", myComp.Compare(myStr1, 3, 10, myStr2, 3, 10, CompareOptions.Ordinal)) & vbCrLf outputBlock.Text += String.Format(" With StringSort : {0}", myComp.Compare(myStr1, 3, 10, myStr2, 3, 10, CompareOptions.StringSort)) & vbCrLf outputBlock.Text += String.Format(" With IgnoreCase : {0}", myComp.Compare(myStr1, 3, 10, myStr2, 3, 10, CompareOptions.IgnoreCase)) & vbCrLf outputBlock.Text += String.Format(" With IgnoreSymbols : {0}", myComp.Compare(myStr1, 3, 10, myStr2, 3, 10, CompareOptions.IgnoreSymbols)) & vbCrLf outputBlock.Text += String.Format(" With IgnoreCase and IgnoreSymbols : {0}", myComp.Compare(myStr1, 3, 10, myStr2, 3, 10, CompareOptions.IgnoreCase Or CompareOptions.IgnoreSymbols)) & vbCrLf End Sub 'Main End Class 'SamplesCompareInfo 'This code produces the following output. ' 'Comparing "Uncle Bill" and "uncle bill" ' With no CompareOptions : 1 ' With None : 1 ' With Ordinal : -32 ' With StringSort : 1 ' With IgnoreCase : 0 ' With IgnoreSymbols : 1 ' With IgnoreCase and IgnoreSymbols : 0