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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
Member
No Biography provided

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GeneralKudosmemberquantumred14 Oct '06 - 4:37 
GeneralRe: Kudosmembermilkplus24 Feb '10 - 11:19 
Generalwildcmp(&quot;*&amp;lt;*&amp;gt;&quot;, &quot;&amp;lt;field1&amp;gt;&amp;lt;field2&amp;gt;&quot;) not working [modified]memberDaniel B.6 Sep '06 - 13:14 
Hi,
 
wildcmp("*<*>", "<field1><field2>") return 1 while I think it should return 0 (I maybe wrong, so please tell me).
 
If someone knows how to fix it, I will appreciate.
 
Regards

GeneralRe: wildcmp(&quot;*&amp;lt;*&amp;gt;&quot;, &quot;&amp;lt;field1&amp;gt;&amp;lt;field2&amp;gt;&quot;) not workingmemberradboudp16 Feb '07 - 0:35 
Generalreturn value typememberwdx048 Jan '06 - 15:49 
General*? case matchmembertalimu3 Nov '05 - 23:42 
GeneralRe: *? case matchmemberkuhnm15 Sep '06 - 2:18 
GeneralRe: *? case matchmemberkuhnm18 Sep '06 - 4:48 
GeneralGets my 5memberFranc Morales18 Oct '05 - 17:05 
Generalmp and cpmembertwopieman15 Mar '05 - 11:59 
GeneralRe: mp and cpmemberradboudp16 Feb '07 - 1:14 
GeneralOK, but ...memberSam Levy16 Feb '05 - 4:48 
QuestionWhy make 3 loop ?memberDarkYoda Mickael2 Feb '05 - 22:22 
AnswerRe: Why make 3 loop ?memberJack Handy13 Feb '05 - 10:02 
GeneralC# versionmemberSancy26 Oct '04 - 6:23 
GeneralRe: C# versionsussPsyk6621 Dec '04 - 3:39 
GeneralRe: C# versionmemberIonut FIlip22 Feb '05 - 6:15 
GeneralRe: C# versionmemberrobagar3 Apr '06 - 16:58 
GeneralRe: C# versionmemberSancy5 Jun '06 - 16:01 
GeneralConvert to java base on C# version [modified, better look :~ ]memberquangtin321 Mar '08 - 21:13 
GeneralRe: C# version - an error!memberMark T.4 Jul '08 - 14:37 
GeneralRe: C# versionmemberwilliamhix17 Oct '08 - 22:28 
GeneralMany thanks, with 1 small gripe ..memberDavid Patrick29 Sep '04 - 8:41 
GeneralRe: Many thanks, with 1 small gripe ..memberJack Handy6 Oct '04 - 8:13 
GeneralRe: Many thanks, with 1 small gripe ..memberVic Mackey16 Oct '04 - 19:33 

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