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Wildcard string compare (globbing)

By , 15 Feb 2005
 

Usage:

This is a fast, lightweight, and simple pattern matching function.

if (wildcmp("bl?h.*", "blah.jpg")) {
  //we have a match!
} else {
  //no match =(
}

Function:

int wildcmp(const char *wild, const char *string) {
  // Written by Jack Handy - <A href="mailto:jakkhandy@hotmail.com">jakkhandy@hotmail.com</A>
  const char *cp = NULL, *mp = NULL;

  while ((*string) && (*wild != '*')) {
    if ((*wild != *string) && (*wild != '?')) {
      return 0;
    }
    wild++;
    string++;
  }

  while (*string) {
    if (*wild == '*') {
      if (!*++wild) {
        return 1;
      }
      mp = wild;
      cp = string+1;
    } else if ((*wild == *string) || (*wild == '?')) {
      wild++;
      string++;
    } else {
      wild = mp;
      string = cp++;
    }
  }

  while (*wild == '*') {
    wild++;
  }
  return !*wild;
}

License

This article has no explicit license attached to it but may contain usage terms in the article text or the download files themselves. If in doubt please contact the author via the discussion board below.

A list of licenses authors might use can be found here

About the Author

Jack Handy
Web Developer
United States United States
No Biography provided

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GeneralSorry - revised numbersmemberRenniePet29-Mar-10 8:35 
GeneralRe: Depends on whether you need to optimize the last few nanoseconds out of it...memberErwin de GRoot29-Mar-10 8:37 
GeneralYet another version - 25% faster, I think [modified]memberRenniePet1-Apr-10 8:24 
GeneralRe: Yet another version - 25% faster, I thinkmemberaleks1k21-Sep-11 2:47 
QuestionI used this function but I how I can catch variables from the * ???membermoh.hijjawi20-Oct-09 1:55 
AnswerRe: I used this function but I how I can catch variables from the * ???memberRenniePet1-Apr-10 11:27 
Questionany updates ?memberalhambra-eidos2-Jul-09 5:12 
GeneralImproved matching with end-of-textmemberAnders Heie11-May-09 15:20 
GeneralRe: Improved matching with end-of-text: some cases don't work properly!memberroadrunner31412-Aug-09 3:35 
QuestionPathMatchSpec instead?memberkintz25-Mar-09 8:55 
AnswerRe: PathMatchSpec instead?memberMandatoryDefault31-Aug-09 10:39 
Questionwchar_t version?memberrmorales8729-Nov-08 20:16 
AnswerRe: wchar_t version?memberrazvar31-Mar-11 21:49 
Generalwildcmp in XBLitememberCodeGibbon27-Nov-08 13:56 
GeneralWildcard string compare in C#memberhaiquang10-Nov-08 22:15 
GeneralRe: Wildcard string compare in C#memberhaiquang3-Aug-09 22:22 
GeneralC# Direct Portmemberhempels23-Sep-08 15:10 
General...and yet another C# port [modified]memberDVF27-Aug-10 16:59 
GeneralRe: ...and yet another C# portmemberVUnreal21-Sep-10 11:22 
General[Message Removed]memberstonber18-Sep-08 14:22 
GeneralUsing in Artistic Stylememberjimp023-Apr-08 4:43 
GeneralGeez...memberlarryfr5-Mar-08 9:39 
QuestionConvert to a replace?memberwilliaps20-Mar-07 8:31 
GeneralC# RexExp versionmemberspinsane4-Nov-06 6:30 
GeneralKudosmemberquantumred14-Oct-06 4:37 

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