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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.

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About the Author

Jack Handy
Web Developer
United States United States
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Questionhelp required for wilcard matching * and #memberSaimaAsif23 Feb '12 - 23:56 
GeneralMy vote of 5memberPlamen Petrov13 Dec '11 - 21:37 
SuggestionModification with '#' as wildcard joker for digits [modified]memberThomas Haase25 Sep '11 - 23:16 
QuestionLicence Questionmemberrandommark23 Nov '10 - 0:33 
AnswerAnother C# version, with a twistmembertomlev29 Jun '10 - 14:50 
GeneralObscuritymemberChuck O'Toole25 Apr '10 - 18:18 
AnswerMy C# contribution - recursive, of course!memberRenniePet26 Mar '10 - 5:21 
This strikes me as an obvious place to use recursion. So here goes...
 
   public class MString
   {
      /// <summary>
      /// Function to compare two strings, where strA may contain wildcard characters '*' and 
      /// '?'. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildcard_character
      /// </summary>
      /// <param name="strA">string which may contain wildcards, may be empty, must not be null</param>
      /// <param name="strB">string to compare to, no wildcard processing, may be empty, must not be null</param>
      /// <param name="ignoreCase">true = ignore upper/lower case, false = don't ignore case</param>
      /// <returns>true = match, false = non-match</returns>
      public static bool CompareWWc(string strA, string strB, bool ignoreCase)
      {
         if (ignoreCase)
            return CompareWWc(strA.ToLower(), strB.ToLower());
         else 
            return CompareWWc(strA, strB);
      }
 

      /// <summary>
      /// Recursive function to compare two strings, where strA may contain wildcard characters 
      /// '*' and '?'. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildcard_character
      /// </summary>
      /// <param name="strA">string which may contain wildcards, may be empty, must not be null</param>
      /// <param name="strB">string to compare to, no wildcard processing, may be empty, must not be null</param>
      /// <returns>true = match, false = non-match</returns>
      public static bool CompareWWc(string strA, string strB)
      {
         // Top of loop to scan across strA (and strB)
         for (int i = 0; i < strA.Length; i++)
         {
            // Special processing when we hit a '*' in strA
            if (strA[i] == '*')
            {
               // If the '*' is at the end of strA then result = true irrespective of strB
               if (i == strA.Length - 1)
                  return true;  
 
               // Do recursive calls to try to find a match somewhere to the right in strB
               strA = strA.Substring(i + 1);  // The part of strA beyond the '*'
               for (int j = i; j < strB.Length; j++)
                  if (CompareWWc(strA, strB.Substring(j)))
                     return true;
               return false;
            }
 
            // Normal processing for non-'*' characters in strA
            if (i >= strB.Length || (strA[i] != strB[i] && strA[i] != '?'))
               return false;
         }
 
         // We've reached the end of strA and the last character is not '*'
         return strA.Length == strB.Length;
      }
 
   }
 
And here's a little test sequence:
 
         if (!MString.CompareWWc("", ""))
            Console.WriteLine("Something wrong!");
 

         if (!MString.CompareWWc("something", "something"))
            Console.WriteLine("Something wrong!");
 
         if (MString.CompareWWc("something", "zomething"))
            Console.WriteLine("Something wrong!");
         
         if (MString.CompareWWc("something", "some"))
            Console.WriteLine("Something wrong!");
         
         if (MString.CompareWWc("something", "something else"))
            Console.WriteLine("Something wrong!");
 

         if (!MString.CompareWWc("s?m?th???", "something"))
            Console.WriteLine("Something wrong!");
         
         if (MString.CompareWWc("s?m?th???", "somethin"))
            Console.WriteLine("Something wrong!");
 

         if (!MString.CompareWWc("*", ""))
            Console.WriteLine("Something wrong!");
         
         if (!MString.CompareWWc("*", "nonsense"))
            Console.WriteLine("Something wrong!");
         
         if (!MString.CompareWWc("non*", "nonsense"))
            Console.WriteLine("Something wrong!");
 

         if (!MString.CompareWWc("*nonsense", "nonsense"))
            Console.WriteLine("Something wrong!");
 
         if (!MString.CompareWWc("non*nse", "nonsense"))
            Console.WriteLine("Something wrong!");
         
         if (MString.CompareWWc("non*nse", "nonsenze"))
            Console.WriteLine("Something wrong!");
         
         if (!MString.CompareWWc("non*n?e", "nonsense"))
            Console.WriteLine("Something wrong!");
 

         if (!MString.CompareWWc("n*on*nse", "nonsense"))
            Console.WriteLine("Something wrong!");
 
         if (!MString.CompareWWc("n*n*nse", "nonsense"))
            Console.WriteLine("Something wrong!");
 
         if (MString.CompareWWc("*non*nse", "nonsenze"))
            Console.WriteLine("Something wrong!");
 
         if (!MString.CompareWWc("n*n*n?e", "nonsense"))
            Console.WriteLine("Something wrong!");
      }
 
By the way, the name CompareWWc means Compare With Wildcards.
GeneralRe: My C# contribution - recursive, of course!memberErwin de GRoot29 Mar '10 - 1:58 
GeneralDepends on whether you need to optimize the last few nanoseconds out of it...memberRenniePet29 Mar '10 - 7:45 
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 
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 
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 

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