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Wildcard string compare (globbing)

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4.90/5 (82 votes)
15 Feb 2005 1.1M   96   144
Matches a string against a wildcard string such as "*.*" or "bl?h.*" etc. This is good for file globbing or to match hostmasks.

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

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Comments and Discussions

 
GeneralNice Pin
Chris Richardson16-Jan-03 10:58
Chris Richardson16-Jan-03 10:58 
GeneralRe: Nice Pin
Jack Handy20-Jan-03 11:56
Jack Handy20-Jan-03 11:56 
GeneralCool Code Pin
Anonymous6-Dec-02 11:09
Anonymous6-Dec-02 11:09 
GeneralRe: Cool Code Pin
hector santos1-Mar-03 1:53
hector santos1-Mar-03 1:53 
GeneralRe: Cool Code Pin
Kent C. Dorner2-Mar-03 5:32
sussKent C. Dorner2-Mar-03 5:32 
GeneralRe: Cool Code Pin
gebrudergrimm28-Dec-03 10:18
gebrudergrimm28-Dec-03 10:18 
GeneralRe: Cool Code Pin
BrcKcc15-Jun-04 8:18
BrcKcc15-Jun-04 8:18 
GeneralYes man - you a really cool developer Pin
Stanislav Panasik23-Oct-02 19:06
Stanislav Panasik23-Oct-02 19:06 
Hi !

Wery useful function, Smile | :) save at least a one sigarette lifetime Smile | :)
Seriously - great code.

Stanislav.
GeneralRe: Yes man - you a really cool developer Pin
Anonymous28-Mar-04 13:43
Anonymous28-Mar-04 13:43 
GeneralPseudo Code... Pin
blahblah18-Apr-02 10:45
blahblah18-Apr-02 10:45 
GeneralRe: Pseudo Code... Pin
Targys8-Jan-03 2:43
Targys8-Jan-03 2:43 
Generaltoo complicated Pin
21-Mar-02 21:31
suss21-Mar-02 21:31 
GeneralRe: too complicated Pin
22-Mar-02 0:23
suss22-Mar-02 0:23 
GeneralRe: too complicated Pin
22-Mar-02 0:34
suss22-Mar-02 0:34 
GeneralRe: too complicated Pin
Jack Handy22-Mar-02 15:23
Jack Handy22-Mar-02 15:23 
GeneralRe: too complicated Pin
22-Mar-02 21:40
suss22-Mar-02 21:40 
GeneralRe: too complicated Pin
Jack Handy22-Mar-02 22:26
Jack Handy22-Mar-02 22:26 
GeneralRe: too complicated Pin
alex.barylski19-Apr-03 9:25
alex.barylski19-Apr-03 9:25 
GeneralRe: too complicated Pin
douglashogan25-Jan-04 12:34
douglashogan25-Jan-04 12:34 
GeneralRe: too complicated Pin
Jack Handy25-Jan-04 12:40
Jack Handy25-Jan-04 12:40 
GeneralRe: too complicated Pin
douglashogan25-Jan-04 12:50
douglashogan25-Jan-04 12:50 
GeneralRe: too complicated Pin
22-Mar-02 15:29
suss22-Mar-02 15:29 
GeneralRe: too complicated Pin
Simon Capewell22-May-02 2:48
Simon Capewell22-May-02 2:48 
GeneralRe: too complicated Pin
Targys8-Jan-03 1:57
Targys8-Jan-03 1:57 
GeneralRe: too complicated Pin
The C++ Guru24-Feb-03 10:43
sussThe C++ Guru24-Feb-03 10:43 

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