CompareInfo.Compare Method (String, String, CompareOptions)
Microsoft Silverlight will reach end of support after October 2021. Learn more.
Compares two strings using the specified CompareOptions value and returns an integer that indicates their relationship to one another in the sort order.
Namespace: System.Globalization
Assembly: mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)
Syntax
'Declaration
<SecuritySafeCriticalAttribute> _
Public Overridable Function Compare ( _
string1 As String, _
string2 As String, _
options As CompareOptions _
) As Integer
[SecuritySafeCriticalAttribute]
public virtual int Compare(
string string1,
string string2,
CompareOptions options
)
Parameters
- string1
Type: System.String
The first string to compare.
- string2
Type: System.String
The second string to compare.
- options
Type: System.Globalization.CompareOptions
The CompareOptions value that defines how string1 and string2 should be compared. options is either the value Ordinal used by itself, or the bitwise combination of one or more of the following values: IgnoreCase, IgnoreSymbols, IgnoreNonSpace, IgnoreWidth, IgnoreKanaType, and StringSort.
Return Value
Type: System.Int32
An integer that indicates the relationship between the two strings in the sort order, as follows:
Value |
Condition |
|---|---|
zero |
The two strings are equal. |
less than zero |
string1 is less than string2. |
greater than zero |
string1 is greater than string2. |
Remarks
If a security decision depends on a string comparison or a case change, the application should use the InvariantCulture to ensure that the behavior is consistent regardless of the culture settings of the operating system.
Platform Notes
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Silverlight for Windows Phone
The Compare method does not throw the expected exception, ArgumentOutOfRangeException, if you pass an invalid CompareOptions object.
Examples
The following example compares two strings using different CompareOptions settings.
Imports System.Globalization
Public Class Example
Public Shared Sub Demo(ByVal outputBlock As System.Windows.Controls.TextBlock)
' Defines the strings to compare.
Dim myStr1 As [String] = "My Uncle Bill's clients"
Dim myStr2 As [String] = "My uncle bills clients"
' Creates a CompareInfo that uses the InvariantCulture.
Dim myComp As CompareInfo = CultureInfo.InvariantCulture.CompareInfo
' Compares two strings using myComp.
outputBlock.Text += String.Format("Comparing ""{0}"" and ""{1}""", myStr1, myStr2) & vbCrLf
outputBlock.Text += String.Format(" With no CompareOptions : {0}", myComp.Compare(myStr1, myStr2)) & vbCrLf
outputBlock.Text += String.Format(" With None : {0}", myComp.Compare(myStr1, myStr2, CompareOptions.None)) & vbCrLf
outputBlock.Text += String.Format(" With Ordinal : {0}", myComp.Compare(myStr1, myStr2, CompareOptions.Ordinal)) & vbCrLf
outputBlock.Text += String.Format(" With StringSort : {0}", myComp.Compare(myStr1, myStr2, CompareOptions.StringSort)) & vbCrLf
outputBlock.Text += String.Format(" With IgnoreCase : {0}", myComp.Compare(myStr1, myStr2, CompareOptions.IgnoreCase)) & vbCrLf
outputBlock.Text += String.Format(" With IgnoreSymbols : {0}", myComp.Compare(myStr1, myStr2, CompareOptions.IgnoreSymbols)) & vbCrLf
outputBlock.Text += String.Format(" With IgnoreCase and IgnoreSymbols : {0}", myComp.Compare(myStr1, myStr2, CompareOptions.IgnoreCase Or CompareOptions.IgnoreSymbols)) & vbCrLf
End Sub 'Main
End Class 'SamplesCompareInfo
'This code produces the following output.
'
'Comparing "My Uncle Bill's clients" and "My uncle bills clients"
' With no CompareOptions : 1
' With None : 1
' With Ordinal : -32
' With StringSort : -1
' With IgnoreCase : 1
' With IgnoreSymbols : 1
' With IgnoreCase and IgnoreSymbols : 0
using System;
using System.Globalization;
public class Example
{
public static void Demo(System.Windows.Controls.TextBlock outputBlock)
{
// Defines the strings to compare.
String myStr1 = "My Uncle Bill's clients";
String myStr2 = "My uncle bills clients";
// Creates a CompareInfo that uses the InvariantCulture.
CompareInfo myComp = CultureInfo.InvariantCulture.CompareInfo;
// Compares two strings using myComp.
outputBlock.Text += String.Format("Comparing \"{0}\" and \"{1}\"", myStr1, myStr2) + "\n";
outputBlock.Text += String.Format(" With no CompareOptions : {0}", myComp.Compare(myStr1, myStr2)) + "\n";
outputBlock.Text += String.Format(" With None : {0}", myComp.Compare(myStr1, myStr2, CompareOptions.None)) + "\n";
outputBlock.Text += String.Format(" With Ordinal : {0}", myComp.Compare(myStr1, myStr2, CompareOptions.Ordinal)) + "\n";
outputBlock.Text += String.Format(" With StringSort : {0}", myComp.Compare(myStr1, myStr2, CompareOptions.StringSort)) + "\n";
outputBlock.Text += String.Format(" With IgnoreCase : {0}", myComp.Compare(myStr1, myStr2, CompareOptions.IgnoreCase)) + "\n";
outputBlock.Text += String.Format(" With IgnoreSymbols : {0}", myComp.Compare(myStr1, myStr2, CompareOptions.IgnoreSymbols)) + "\n";
outputBlock.Text += String.Format(" With IgnoreCase and IgnoreSymbols : {0}", myComp.Compare(myStr1, myStr2, CompareOptions.IgnoreCase | CompareOptions.IgnoreSymbols)) + "\n";
}
}
/*
This code produces the following output.
Comparing "My Uncle Bill's clients" and "My uncle bills clients"
With no CompareOptions : 1
With None : 1
With Ordinal : -32
With StringSort : -1
With IgnoreCase : 1
With IgnoreSymbols : 1
With IgnoreCase and IgnoreSymbols : 0
*/
Version Information
Silverlight
Supported in: 5, 4, 3
Silverlight for Windows Phone
Supported in: Windows Phone OS 7.1, Windows Phone OS 7.0
XNA Framework
Supported in: Xbox 360, Windows Phone OS 7.0
Platforms
For a list of the operating systems and browsers that are supported by Silverlight, see Supported Operating Systems and Browsers.