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c#regexstringwildcard

Matching strings with wildcard

I would like to match strings with a wildcard (*), where the wildcard means "any". For example:

*X = string must end with X
X* = string must start with X
*X* = string must contain X

Also, some compound uses such as:

*X*YZ* = string contains X and contains YZ
X*YZ*P = string starts with X, contains YZ and ends with P.

Is there a simple algorithm to do this? I'm unsure about using regex (though it is a possibility).

To clarify, the users will type in the above to a filter box (as simple a filter as possible), I don't want them to have to write regular expressions themselves. So something I can easily transform from the above notation would be good.

Solution

  • You could use the VB.NET Like-Operator:

    string text = "x is not the same as X and yz not the same as YZ";
bool contains = LikeOperator.LikeString(text,"*X*YZ*", Microsoft.VisualBasic.CompareMethod.Binary);

    Use CompareMethod.Text if you want to ignore the case.

    You need to add using Microsoft.VisualBasic.CompilerServices; and add a reference to the Microsoft.VisualBasic.dll.

    Since it's part of the .NET framework and will always be, it's not a problem to use this class.