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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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Comments and Discussions

 
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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 
GeneralRe: Many thanks, with 1 small gripe ..memberVoja Intermajstor24 Nov '04 - 23:26 
GeneralNice code...membervoja2125 Aug '04 - 2:30 

This is realy nice & and useful code. I used to write something similar, but your example is simplier and shorter.
Because it lacks comments, I spent some time to understand (before I saw comment form Targys Hmmm | :| - real tutorial Wink | ;) ) and it is clear now. Thanks to both of you!
 
To 'wise' guys, flamers, and other people who has nothing to do instead of arguing:
- If the code has a bug, report but don't pretend you are a genius or a guru. If you can do it better, submit an article.
If you don't like the code, don't use it!
 
And about NULL pointers:
Idiot-proofing should be implemented at the level where data (function arguments) is acquired and prepared, not in such low-level function.
Besides that, I tested several functions from string.h with NULL parameters and every single one threw an exception. No further comments...
 
Regards, Voja
GeneralSlight efficiency improvementmemberBill Buklis9 Jul '04 - 6:53 
GeneralRe: Slight efficiency improvementmemberBill Buklis9 Jul '04 - 7:19 
QuestionPathMatchSpec (shlwapi.h)?memberpeterchen28 Jun '04 - 6:56 
AnswerRe: PathMatchSpec (shlwapi.h)?memberJack Handy13 Feb '05 - 9:56 
GeneralDoesnt seem to work well..sussBikram Singh13 May '04 - 1:56 
GeneralRe: Doesnt seem to work well..memberJack Handy21 Jun '04 - 9:13 
GeneralCase Insensitive wildcmpmemberTechiex16 Mar '04 - 9:36 
GeneralRe: Case Insensitive wildcmpmemberNeville Franks16 Mar '04 - 9:52 
GeneralRe: Case Insensitive wildcmpmemberTechiex23 Mar '04 - 9:33 
GeneralRe: Case Insensitive wildcmpmemberDavidCrow23 Feb '05 - 2:24 
GeneralRe: Case Insensitive wildcmpmemberVic Mackey23 Feb '05 - 8:00 
GeneralRe: Case Insensitive wildcmpmemberDavidCrow23 Feb '05 - 8:22 
GeneralRe: Case Insensitive wildcmpmemberf_randy12 Jun '06 - 18:13 
GeneralExcellent code!memberHans Dietrich16 Jul '03 - 19:40 
Generalchecking for nullmemberJack Handy13 Mar '03 - 20:38 
GeneralRe: checking for nullsussAnonymous15 Mar '03 - 20:10 
GeneralRe: checking for nullmemberJack Handy18 Mar '03 - 13:25 
Generalgreat code, but ...sussAnonymous12 Mar '03 - 3:17 
GeneralRe: great code, but ...memberJack Handy13 Mar '03 - 20:34 
GeneralRe: great code, but ...sussAnonymous15 Mar '03 - 20:08 
GeneralRe: great code, but ...memberJack Handy18 Mar '03 - 13:25 
GeneralRe: great code, but ...sussAnonymous19 Mar '03 - 23:13 
GeneralNicememberChris Richardson16 Jan '03 - 10:58 
GeneralRe: NicememberJack Handy20 Jan '03 - 11:56 
GeneralCool CodesussAnonymous6 Dec '02 - 11:09 
GeneralRe: Cool Codememberhector santos1 Mar '03 - 1:53 
GeneralRe: Cool CodesussKent C. Dorner2 Mar '03 - 5:32 
GeneralRe: Cool Codemembergebrudergrimm28 Dec '03 - 10:18 
GeneralRe: Cool CodememberBrcKcc15 Jun '04 - 8:18 
GeneralYes man - you a really cool developermemberStanislav Panasik23 Oct '02 - 19:06 
GeneralRe: Yes man - you a really cool developersussAnonymous28 Mar '04 - 13:43 
GeneralPseudo Code...memberblahblah18 Apr '02 - 10:45 
GeneralRe: Pseudo Code...memberTargys8 Jan '03 - 2:43 
Generaltoo complicatedmemberThe C++ Guru21 Mar '02 - 21:31 
GeneralRe: too complicatedmemberBig Spender22 Mar '02 - 0:23 
GeneralRe: too complicatedmemberThe C++ Guru22 Mar '02 - 0:34 
GeneralRe: too complicatedmemberJack Handy22 Mar '02 - 15:23 

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