compare_characters

Use the compare_characters function to compare two texts.

The function is capable of handling Unicode characters and word processor instructions.

 compare_characters ( first; second )

The result of this function is of type NUMBER.

This function has two parameters:

first, type TEXT. The first text to compare.
second, type TEXT. The second text to compare.

All input is always converted to Unicode Normalization Form C (NFC). Tabs, paragraph breaks, and line breaks are handled as characters. Other word processor content, such as layout switches and graphical objects, is ignored in the comparison.

The comparison is case-sensitive. Characters are compared based on their Unicode character codes, which is for most locales not a correct lexicographical sort.

Paragraph breaks and line breaks are considered equal for comparison purposes.

The return value indicates how the parameters compare:

0 both first and second are identical
< 0 first compares textually before second
> 0 first compares textually after second

Examples

 compare_characters ("abc" ; "abc")

Results in 0

 compare_characters ("abc" ; "abcd")

Results in a value > 0

 compare_characters ("Abc" ; "abc")

Results in a value < 0 ("A" < "a")

 compare_characters ("10"; "9")

Results in a value > 0 ("1" < "9")

The compare_characters function is used to implement the text comparison operators (<, <=, =, <>, >=, >) when Enhanced Unicode Support is enabled.