MQL4 Reference String Functions StringCompare

StringCompare

The function compares two strings and returns the comparison result in form of an integer.

int  StringCompare(
   const string&  string1,                 // the first string in the comparison
   const string&  string2,                 // the second string in the comparison
   bool           case_sensitive=true      // case sensitivity mode selection for the comparison
   );

Parameters

string1

[in] The first string.

string2

[in] The second string.

case_sensitive=true

[in] Case sensitivity mode selection. If it is true, then "A">"a". If it is false, then "A"="a". By default the value is equal to true.

Return Value

-1 (minus one), if string1<string2
0 (zero), if string1=string2
1 (one), if string1>string2

Note

The strings are compared symbol by symbol, the symbols are compared in the alphabetic order in accordance with the current code page.

Example:

void OnStart()
  {
//--- what is larger - apple or home?
   string s1="Apple";
   string s2="home";

//--- compare case sensitive
   int result1=StringCompare(s1,s2);
   if(result1>0) PrintFormat("Case sensitive comparison: %s > %s",s1,s2);
   else
     {
      if(result1<0)PrintFormat("Case sensitive comparison: %s < %s",s1,s2);
      else PrintFormat("Case sensitive comparison: %s = %s",s1,s2);
     }

//--- compare case-insensitive
   int result2=StringCompare(s1,s2,false);
   if(result2>0) PrintFormat("Case insensitive comparison: %s > %s",s1,s2);
   else
     {
      if(result2<0)PrintFormat("Case insensitive comparison: %s < %s",s1,s2);
      else PrintFormat("Case insensitive comparison: %s = %s",s1,s2);
     }
/* Result:
     Case-sensitive comparison: Apple < home
     Case insensitive comparison: Apple < home
*/
  }