Function Names
locate differencesDescription
This function checks two strings for deviating contents and returns the starting positions and lengths of the different strings.
In detail, the function scans the two strings character by character from left to right until a position with different characters have been identified.
The same will be repeated with scanning from the end of both strings leftward until a first difference is encountered.
The middle contents are deemed different, even if only the first and last character(s) are different, as in follwoing example:
Example 1: Checking: "The yak is blond" and "The jak is blind".Deltas are: "yak is blo" and "jak is bli".
Example 2: Checking: "The yak is blond" and "The jak is blond".Deltas are: "y" and "j".
Options are available to include whole words or numbers in the comparison, so "My name is Jan". / "My name was Dan." will preserve the name.
Call as: function
Restrictions
Indirect parameter passing is disabled
Parameter count
2-6
Parameters
| No. | Type | Description | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 input |
string | 1st string 1st string to compare with 2nd string | ||||||||
| 2 input |
string | 2nd string 2nd string to compare with 1st string | ||||||||
| Opt. 3 input |
numeral | Starting Character Position First character position in both strings where the deviation is beginning. | ||||||||
| Opt. 4 output |
numeral | Length of deviation in 1st string Number of deviating chracters in the different part of the 1st string | ||||||||
| Opt. 5 output |
numeral | Length of deviation in 2nd string Number of deviating chracters in the different part of the 2nd string | ||||||||
| Opt. 6 input |
string | Options Following options apply:
Default value: characters |
Return value
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| numeral | Comparison result 0 = The two strings are equal |
Examples
define procedure( printout )
{
echo("Deviation starting position: ", b[], " Deviation lengths - 1st string: '",
c[], "', 2nd string: '", d[], "' Result: ", r[] );
}
r[] = locate differences(Good taste of coffee counts, Good taste of coffee counts, b[], c[], d[] ); // 0, 0,
printout; // 0, 0, 0, 0
r[] = locate differences(Good taste of coffee counts, Good taste of caffè counts, b[], c[], d[] );
printout; // 15, 5 (offee) , 4 (affè) , 1
r[] = locate differences(Good taste of coffee counts, Good taste of caffè counts, b[], c[], d[], words );
printout; // 14, 6 (coffee), 5 (caffè), 3
r[] = locate differences(Good taste of coffee counts, Good taste counts, b[], c[], d[], words );
printout; // 11, 10 ('of coffee '), 0, 2
r[] = locate differences(Good tasting of coffee counts, Good taste of caffè counts, b[], c[], d[], words );
printout; // 5, 17 (tasting of coffee), 14 (taste of caffè) , 3
r[] = locate differences(Year 2015 begins, Year 2016 begins, b[], c[], d[], characters);
printout; // 8, 1 ('5'), 1 ('6') , 3
r[] = locate differences(Year 2015 begins, Year 2016 begins, b[], c[], d[], words);
printout; // 8, 1 ('5'), 1 ('6') , 3
r[] = locate differences(Year 2015 begins, Year 2016 begins, b[], c[], d[], numbers);
printout; // 5, 4 ('2015'), 4 ('2016') , 3
r[] = locate differences( "20-Mar-2015", "21-Mar-2015" , b[], c[], d[], characters);
printout; // 1, 1 ('0'), 1 ('1'), 1
r[] = locate differences( "20-Mar-2015", "21-Mar-2015" ,b[], c[], d[], spaces);
printout; // 0, 11 (20-Mar-2015), 11 (21-Mar-2015), 3
Output
Deviation starting position: 0 Deviation lengths - 1st string: '0', 2nd string: '0' Result: 0
Deviation starting position: 15 Deviation lengths - 1st string: '5', 2nd string: '4' Result: 1
Deviation starting position: 14 Deviation lengths - 1st string: '6', 2nd string: '5' Result: 3
Deviation starting position: 11 Deviation lengths - 1st string: '10', 2nd string: '0' Result: 2
Deviation starting position: 5 Deviation lengths - 1st string: '17', 2nd string: '14' Result: 3
Deviation starting position: 8 Deviation lengths - 1st string: '1', 2nd string: '1' Result: 1
Deviation starting position: 8 Deviation lengths - 1st string: '1', 2nd string: '1' Result: 1
Deviation starting position: 5 Deviation lengths - 1st string: '4', 2nd string: '4' Result: 3
Deviation starting position: 1 Deviation lengths - 1st string: '1', 2nd string: '1' Result: 1
Deviation starting position: 0 Deviation lengths - 1st string: '11', 2nd string: '11' Result: 3