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Wildcard string compare (globbing)

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15 Feb 2005 1.2M   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

 
GeneralRe: Not DOS compatible Pin
Jack Handy2-May-01 12:03
Jack Handy2-May-01 12:03 
GeneralRe: Not DOS compatible Pin
Miroslav Rajcic6-May-01 23:04
Miroslav Rajcic6-May-01 23:04 
GeneralDOS compatible workaround Pin
5-Jul-01 1:47
suss5-Jul-01 1:47 
GeneralRe: Not DOS compatible Pin
W2k27-Dec-02 13:26
W2k27-Dec-02 13:26 
QuestionWhy, oh why only? Pin
2-May-01 2:17
suss2-May-01 2:17 
AnswerRe: Why, oh why only? Pin
Simon Capewell2-May-01 2:39
Simon Capewell2-May-01 2:39 
GeneralRe: Why, oh why only? Pin
5-Jul-01 10:27
suss5-Jul-01 10:27 
AnswerRe: Why, oh why only? Pin
Paul McGuire4-Dec-01 4:18
Paul McGuire4-Dec-01 4:18 
Because regex is a complete mystery to my end users. These are not software people who want to master the intricacies of ^'s, []'s, .'s, and *'s (and don't forget the \'s!) - they just want to find every equipment in the factory that matches "DRILL*".

Actually, if you look around in the real world, there are many kinds of wheels out there. I'm glad someone came up with a nice light bicycle wheel for my small project, instead of my having to lug around a huge differential, axle, and automobile wheel assembly, just to do this basic feature.

Thanks for this nice piece of work!


Paul McGuire
KLA-Tencor/Process Analysis & Control Division
Austin, TX

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