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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

 
GeneralRe: too complicated Pin
Kent C. Dorner2-Mar-03 5:26
sussKent C. Dorner2-Mar-03 5:26 
GeneralRe: too complicated Pin
hector santos2-Mar-03 10:05
hector santos2-Mar-03 10:05 
GeneralRe: too complicated Pin
Jack Handy2-Jun-03 13:56
Jack Handy2-Jun-03 13:56 
GeneralRe: too complicated Pin
Anonymous2-Jun-03 14:48
Anonymous2-Jun-03 14:48 
GeneralRe: too complicated Pin
Anonymous4-Dec-03 18:29
Anonymous4-Dec-03 18:29 
GeneralRe: too complicated Pin
olegxxx4-Mar-05 19:24
olegxxx4-Mar-05 19:24 
GeneralSweet! Pin
EpicBoy1-Feb-02 16:08
EpicBoy1-Feb-02 16:08 
GeneralRe: Sweet! Pin
Michael Dunn1-Feb-02 17:10
sitebuilderMichael Dunn1-Feb-02 17:10 
You might want to look into the PathMatchSpec() function in shlwapi.dll. Smile | :)

--Mike--
"Everyone has figured out what 'service pack' really means, so they had to go and change the language. Perhaps this is what Bill was talking about in the 'security is top priority' letter."
  -- Daniel Ferguson, 1/31/2002
My really out-of-date homepage
Sonork - 100.10414 AcidHelm
Big fan of Alyson Hannigan.

GeneralRe: Sweet! Pin
13-May-02 0:29
suss13-May-02 0:29 
GeneralI found this very useful. Pin
Todd Smith4-Jan-02 14:40
Todd Smith4-Jan-02 14:40 
GeneralTest Cases Pin
Paul McGuire4-Dec-01 12:00
Paul McGuire4-Dec-01 12:00 
GeneralRe: Test Cases Pin
Lee Elenbaas9-Sep-08 23:05
Lee Elenbaas9-Sep-08 23:05 
GeneralSuper fast code - super, but... Pin
23-Aug-01 6:24
suss23-Aug-01 6:24 
GeneralGreat Code Pin
4-Jul-01 20:18
suss4-Jul-01 20:18 
GeneralRe: Great Code Pin
5-Jul-01 10:24
suss5-Jul-01 10:24 
GeneralRe: Great Code Pin
4-Jul-02 2:15
suss4-Jul-02 2:15 
GeneralRe: Great Code Pin
The C++ Guru8-Sep-02 7:22
sussThe C++ Guru8-Sep-02 7:22 
GeneralRe: Great Code Pin
Anonymous4-Dec-03 18:53
Anonymous4-Dec-03 18:53 
Generalwildcmp("fold","??*"); Pin
24-May-01 8:43
suss24-May-01 8:43 
GeneralRe: wildcmp( Pin
Jack Handy29-May-01 10:01
Jack Handy29-May-01 10:01 
GeneralNot DOS compatible Pin
Miroslav Rajcic2-May-01 3:56
Miroslav Rajcic2-May-01 3:56 
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 

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