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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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Comments and Discussions

 
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GeneralGets my 5 PinmemberFranc Morales18-Oct-05 17:05 
Generalmp and cp Pinmembertwopieman15-Mar-05 11:59 
GeneralOK, but ... PinmemberSam Levy16-Feb-05 4:48 
QuestionWhy make 3 loop ? PinmemberDarkYoda Mickael2-Feb-05 22:22 
GeneralC# version PinmemberSancy26-Oct-04 6:23 
GeneralMany thanks, with 1 small gripe .. PinmemberDavid Patrick29-Sep-04 8:41 
GeneralNice code... Pinmembervoja2125-Aug-04 2:30 
GeneralSlight efficiency improvement PinmemberBill Buklis9-Jul-04 6:53 
QuestionPathMatchSpec (shlwapi.h)? Pinmemberpeterchen28-Jun-04 6:56 
GeneralDoesnt seem to work well.. PinsussBikram Singh13-May-04 1:56 
GeneralCase Insensitive wildcmp PinmemberTechiex16-Mar-04 9:36 
GeneralExcellent code! PinmemberHans Dietrich16-Jul-03 19:40 
Generalchecking for null PinmemberJack Handy13-Mar-03 20:38 
Generalgreat code, but ... PinsussAnonymous12-Mar-03 3:17 
GeneralNice PinmemberChris Richardson16-Jan-03 10:58 
GeneralCool Code PinsussAnonymous6-Dec-02 11:09 
GeneralYes man - you a really cool developer PinmemberStanislav Panasik23-Oct-02 19:06 
GeneralPseudo Code... Pinmemberblahblah18-Apr-02 10:45 
Generaltoo complicated PinmemberThe C++ Guru21-Mar-02 21:31 22 
GeneralSweet! PinmemberEpicBoy1-Feb-02 16:08 
GeneralI found this very useful. PinmemberTodd Smith4-Jan-02 14:40 
GeneralTest Cases PinmemberPaul McGuire4-Dec-01 12:00 
GeneralSuper fast code - super, but... PinmemberRene Rassnitzer23-Aug-01 6:24 
GeneralGreat Code Pinmembermediamaster404-Jul-01 20:18 
Generalwildcmp("fold","??*"); PinmemberVadim Chavarha24-May-01 8:43 
GeneralNot DOS compatible PinmemberMiroslav Rajcic2-May-01 3:56 
QuestionWhy, oh why only? PinmemberAnonymous2-May-01 2:17 

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