Is there a compare function for file name sorting?

Question

Possible Duplicate:
How to get the sort order in Delphi as in Windows Explorer?

I'm looking for a function that would compare (for file sorting) exactly like Windows Explorer does. Now I'm using CompareText function, but it results in the following:

---------  /\  ---------
 AFile
 BFile
 _XFile
-----------------------

And Windows Explorer sort the same items this way (that's what I want to get):

---------  /\  ---------
 _XFile
 AFile
 BFile
-----------------------

Is there a function for this kind of comparing or should I handle this by my own ?

Thanks!

RRUZ, my fault, sorry. I have voted to close. Next time I will check the proposed matches more attentively. Thanks! — Martin Reiner, Apr 11 '12 at 15:27

David Heffernan · Accepted Answer · 2012-04-11T15:22:09.983

7

Windows Explorer uses StrCmpLogicalW to compare file names. The RTL/VCL does not declare this function so you need to do it yourself.

function StrCmpLogicalW(psz1, psz2: PWideChar): Integer; stdcall;
    external 'shlwapi.dll';

edited Apr 11 '12 at 15:22

answered Apr 11 '12 at 15:13

David Heffernan

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Thanks! I was looking for where this function is defined, but found only in Winapi.ShlObj note `dont use StrCmpLogical() instead use default CompareString()` – Martin Reiner Apr 11 '12 at 15:18
@Martin: Of course you can use this function even if it is not declared in any `.pas` file. – Andreas Rejbrand Apr 11 '12 at 15:22
@Martin I've included all you need to call the function now – David Heffernan Apr 11 '12 at 15:22
@Martin The declaration you found, `REST_NOSTRCMPLOGICAL` is a flag that can be used to make Explorer work in legacy pre-XP mode when it did use `CompareString`. I think this is as close as there is to official confirmation that Explorer uses `StrCmpLogicalW`! – David Heffernan Apr 11 '12 at 15:24
I see and tested it already, works as I wanted. Thanks! – Martin Reiner Apr 11 '12 at 15:26

Is there a compare function for file name sorting?

1 Answers1