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Use wildcard characters * and ? to compare strings

By , 6 May 2010
 
Method to compare Strings with wildcard characters:
 
public Boolean MatchWildcardString(String pattern, String input)
{
    if (String.Compare(pattern, input) == 0)
    {
        return true;
    }
    else if(String.IsNullOrEmpty(input))
    {
        if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(pattern.Trim(new Char[1] { '*' })))
        {
            return true;
        }
        else
        {
            return false;
        }
    }
    else if(pattern.Length == 0)
    {
        return false;
    }
    else if (pattern[0] == '?')
    {
        return MatchWildcardString(pattern.Substring(1), input.Substring(1));
    }
    else if (pattern[pattern.Length - 1] == '?')
    {
        return MatchWildcardString(pattern.Substring(0, pattern.Length - 1), input.Substring(0, input.Length - 1));
    }
    else if (pattern[0] == '*')
    {
        if (MatchWildcardString(pattern.Substring(1), input))
        {
            return true;
        }
        else
        {
            return MatchWildcardString(pattern, input.Substring(1));
        }
    }
    else if (pattern[pattern.Length - 1] == '*')
    {
        if (MatchWildcardString(pattern.Substring(0, pattern.Length - 1), input))
        {
            return true;
        }
        else
        {
            return MatchWildcardString(pattern, input.Substring(0, input.Length - 1));
        }
    }
    else if (pattern[0] == input[0])
    {
        return MatchWildcardString(pattern.Substring(1), input.Substring(1));
    }
    return false;
}
 
The above method can be tested in the following way:
 
// Positive Tests
Assert.IsTrue(MatchWildcardString("*", ""));
Assert.IsTrue(MatchWildcardString("?", " "));
Assert.IsTrue(MatchWildcardString("*", "a"));
Assert.IsTrue(MatchWildcardString("*", "ab"));
Assert.IsTrue(MatchWildcardString("?", "a"));
Assert.IsTrue(MatchWildcardString("*?", "abc"));
Assert.IsTrue(MatchWildcardString("?*", "abc"));
Assert.IsTrue(MatchWildcardString("*abc", "abc"));
Assert.IsTrue(MatchWildcardString("*abc*", "abc"));
Assert.IsTrue(MatchWildcardString("*a*bc*", "aXXXbc"));
 
// Negative Tests
Assert.IsFalse(MatchWildcardString("*a", ""));
Assert.IsFalse(MatchWildcardString("a*", ""));
Assert.IsFalse(MatchWildcardString("?", ""));
Assert.IsFalse(MatchWildcardString("*b*", "a"));
Assert.IsFalse(MatchWildcardString("b*a", "ab"));
Assert.IsFalse(MatchWildcardString("??", "a"));
Assert.IsFalse(MatchWildcardString("*?", ""));
Assert.IsFalse(MatchWildcardString("??*", "a"));
Assert.IsFalse(MatchWildcardString("*abc", "abX"));
Assert.IsFalse(MatchWildcardString("*abc*", "Xbc"));
Assert.IsFalse(MatchWildcardString("*a*bc*", "ac"));
 
Best Regards,
Przemyslaw Benz

License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)

About the Author

PrzemekBenz
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GeneralReason for my vote of 5 nice article.membernikhi _singh21 Feb '12 - 1:40 
GeneralReason for my vote of 5 Nice Algorithm. I modified the sourc...memberDirk Moshage18 Jan '12 - 5:34 
Question[My vote of 1] my vote of 1: why not use standard regex?memberSledgeHammer019 Feb '10 - 9:28 
AnswerRe: [My vote of 1] my vote of 1: why not use standard regex?memberPrzemekBenz9 Feb '10 - 10:07 
AnswerRe: [My vote of 1] my vote of 1: why not use standard regex?memberMichael Lee Yohe16 Feb '10 - 12:47 
AnswerRe: [My vote of 1] my vote of 1: why not use standard regex?memberPIEBALDconsult20 Feb '12 - 12:03 

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