Gambas Documentation - /lang/like

# LIKE

Result = Expression [ NOT ] LIKE Pattern AS Boolean

Returns `TRUE` if the Expression string matches the Pattern string.

If `NOT` is specified, the test is inverted.

The pattern is not case sensitive, and it can contain the following generic characters:

Generic character | Matches
--- | ---
`*` | Any number of any character.
`?` | Any single character.
`[abc]` | Any character between the brackets.
`[x-y]` | Any character in the interval.
`[^x-y]` | Any character not in the interval.
space | Any number of spaces or characters with an ASCII code lower than 32.
`{aaa,bbb,...}` | One of the strings between the square brackets. The strings are separated by commas.
`\x` | The character `x`, even if it is a generic character. Use this for matching a generic character.

### Examples

    PRINT "Gambas" LIKE "G*"

    True

    PRINT "Gambas" LIKE "?[Aa]*"

    True

    PRINT "Gambas" LIKE "G[^Aa]*"

    False

### Examples

    PRINT "Gambas" Not Like "M{$,onsanto,afia}"

    True

You must double the backslash character, otherwise `\*` will be interpreted by the compiler as a special character like `\n`, `\t`, ...

Or you can use this pattern string: `LIKE "G[Aa][*]"`

### Examples

    PRINT "Gambas" LIKE "G[Aa]\\*"

    False

LIKE only deals with ASCII strings. If you need to match UTF-8 strings, use the gb.pcre component.

### See also

- String Operators

- String Functions