Iran Developers Network

{
Sometimes we need to know if a string matches a
pattern, which is a string with wildcards
(for example ? and *).

Usage:
if IsLike('About Delphi', 'Abo?? Delp*') then
  ShowMessage('A match!');
}

uses SysUtils;

function IsLike(AString, Pattern: string): boolean;
var
  i, n, n1, n2: integer;
  p1, p2: pchar;
label
  match, nomatch;
begin
  AString := UpperCase(AString);
  Pattern := UpperCase(Pattern);
  n1 := Length(AString);
  n2 := Length(Pattern);
  if n1 < n2 then n := n1 else n := n2;
  p1 := pchar(AString);
  p2 := pchar(Pattern);
  for i := 1 to n do begin
    if p2^ = '*' then goto match;
    if (p2^ <> '?') and (p2^ <> p1^) then goto nomatch;
    inc(p1); inc(p2);
  end;
  if n1 > n2 then begin
nomatch:
    Result := False;
    exit;
  end else if n1 < n2 then begin
    for i := n1 + 1 to n2 do begin
      if not (p2^ in ['*','?']) then goto nomatch;
      inc(p2);
    end;
  end;
match:
  Result
end;	

{
Here's how to get a Printer Handle
provided with the Printer name:
}

function PrinterHandleByName(PrinterName : string):THandle;
var
  PtrName : PChar;
begin
  Result:=0;
  PtrName := PChar(PrinterName);
  if not OpenPrinter(PtrName, Result, nil) then
    RaiseLastOSError
  else
  begin
    ClosePrinter(Result);
  end
end;

{
Here's how to get the value of
an enumerated type constant
given its string representation.

Suppose enum:

TProgrammerType = (tpDelphi, tpVisualC, tpVB, tpJava);
}

uses TypInfo;

var
 s: string;
 programmer : TProgrammerType;
begin
 s:='tpDelphi'; // string
 programmer := TProgrammerType(GetEnumValue(
                TypeInfo(TProgrammerType),s));
end;