.\" part of publib
.\" "@(#)publib-cmp:$Id: cmp.3,v 1.2 1994/02/03 17:33:52 liw Exp $"
.\"
.TH COMPARE 3 "C Programmer's Manual" Publib "C Programmer's Manual"
.SH NAME
cmp_set_offset,
cmp_struct,
cmp_char,
cmp_short,
cmp_int,
cmp_long,
cmp_float,
cmp_double,
cmp_long_double,
cmp_schar,
cmp_uchar,
cmp_ushort,
cmp_uint,
cmp_ulong,
cmp_charptr,
cmp_chararr \- comparison functions for qsort, bsearch, and others
.SH SYNOPSIS
.nf
#include <cmp.h>
void \fBcmp_set_offset\fR(size_t \fIoffset\fR, int (*)(const void *, const void *));
int \fBcmp_struct\fR(const void *, const void *);
.sp 1
int \fBcmp_char\fR(const void *, const void *);
int \fBcmp_short\fR(const void *, const void *);
int \fBcmp_int\fR(const void *, const void *);
int \fBcmp_long\fR(const void *, const void *);
int \fBcmp_float\fR(const void *, const void *);
int \fBcmp_double\fR(const void *, const void *);
int \fBcmp_long_double\fR(const void *, const void *);
.sp 1
int \fBcmp_schar\fR(const void *, const void *);
.sp 1
int \fBcmp_uchar\fR(const void *, const void *);
int \fBcmp_ushort\fR(const void *, const void *);
int \fBcmp_uint\fR(const void *, const void *);
int \fBcmp_ulong\fR(const void *, const void *);
.sp 1
int \fBcmp_charptr\fR(const void *, const void *);
int \fBcmp_chararr\fR(const void *, const void *);
.fi
.SH "DESCRIPTION"
The functions declared above, with the exception of
\fIcmp_set_offset\fR, compare two array elements of the indicated type
when given pointers to them.  The functions are designed to work with
\fIqsort(3)\fR, \fIbsearch(3)\fR, and a number of other library
functions which all need the same type of comparison function.  They
all return negative if the value indicated by the first argument is
less than the second, 0 if they are the same, and positive otherwise.
.PP
\fIcmp_struct\fR compares elements of a structure.  It needs to know
the offset of the element, and a comparison function suitable for the
type of the element.  These are set with \fIcmp_set_offset\fR, which
should be called before \fIqsort(3)\fR.  The settings stay in effect
until changed.
.SH "SEE ALSO"
publib(3), qsort(3), bsearch(3), isort(3), lsearch(3), lfind(3)
.SH AUTHOR
Lars Wirzenius (lars.wirzenius@helsinki.fi)