C# Signature:

[DllImport("shlwapi.dll", CharSet=CharSet.Unicode, ExactSpelling=true)]
static extern int StrCmpLogicalW(string x, string y);

VB Signature:

Declare Unicode Function StrCmpLogicalW Lib "shlwapi.dll" (ByVal s1 As String, ByVal s2 As String) As Int32

User-Defined Types:

None.

Alternative Managed API:

Do you know one? Please contribute it!

Notes:

Comparison is case insensitive, numbers are treated by numerical value instead of ASCII code, for example:

File1
fIle2
fiLe10

instead of

File1
fiLe10
fIle2

Tips & Tricks:

Please add some!

C# Sample Code:

public class StringLogicalComparer : Comparer<string>
{
   [DllImport("shlwapi.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Unicode, ExactSpelling = true)]
   private static extern int StrCmpLogicalW(string x, string y);

   public override int Compare(string x, string y)
   public int Compare(string x, string y)
   {
     return StrCmpLogicalW(x, y);
   }
}

Or, since C# 8:

public class StringLogicalComparer : Comparer<string>
{
   [DllImport("shlwapi.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Unicode, ExactSpelling = true)]
   private static extern int StrCmpLogicalW(string? x, string? y);

   public override int Compare(string? x, string? y) => StrCmpLogicalW(x, y);
   public int Compare(string? x, string? y) => StrCmpLogicalW(x, y);
}

VB Sample Code:

Private Class StringLogicalComparer
   Inherits Comparer(Of String)

   Private Declare Unicode Function StrCmpLogicalW Lib "shlwapi" _
     (ByVal s1 As String, ByVal s2 As String) As Integer

   Public Overrides Function Compare(ByVal x As String, ByVal y As String) _
     As Integer _

     Return StrCmpLogicalW(x, y)
   End Function
End Class

Private Sub Test()
  Dim cp As New StringLogicalComparer
  Debug.WriteLine(cp.Compare("a", "a"))    ' 0
  Debug.WriteLine(cp.Compare("1", "1"))    ' 0
  Debug.WriteLine(cp.Compare("a1", "a2"))  ' -1
  Debug.WriteLine(cp.Compare("a10", "a2")) ' +1
End Sub

Please edit this page!

Do you have...

• helpful tips or sample code to share for using this API in managed code?
• corrections to the existing content?
• variations of the signature you want to share?
• additional languages you want to include?

Select "Edit This Page" on the right hand toolbar and edit it! Or add new pages containing supporting types needed for this API (structures, delegates, and more).