lexicographical_compare

Compares element by element between two sequences to determine which is lesser of the two.

template<class InputIterator1, class InputIterator2>
   bool lexicographical_compare(
      InputIterator1 _First1,
      InputIterator1 _Last1,
      InputIterator2 _First2,
      InputIterator2 _Last2
   );
template<class InputIterator1, class InputIterator2, class BinaryPredicate>
   bool lexicographical_compare(
      InputIterator1 _First1,
      InputIterator1 _Last1, 
      InputIterator2 _First2, 
      InputIterator2 _Last2,
      BinaryPredicate _Comp
   );

Parameters

  • _First1
    An input iterator addressing the position of the first element in the first range to be compared.

  • _Last1
    An input iterator addressing the position one past the final element in the first range to be compared.

  • _First2
    An input iterator addressing the position of the first element in the second range to be compared.

  • _Last2
    An input iterator addressing the position one past the final element in the second range to be compared.

  • _Comp
    User-defined predicate function object that defines sense in which one element is less than another. A binary predicate takes two arguments and returns true when satisfied and false when not satisfied.

Return Value

true if the first range is lexicographically less than the second range; otherwise false.

Remarks

A lexicographical comparison between sequences compares them element by element until:

  • It finds two corresponding elements unequal, and the result of their comparison is taken as the result of the comparison between sequences.

  • No inequalities are found, but one sequence has more elements than the other, and the shorter sequence is considered less than the longer sequence.

  • No inequalities are found and the sequences have the same number of elements, and so the sequences are equal and the result of the comparison is false.

Example

// alg_lex_comp.cpp
// compile with: /EHsc
#include <vector>
#include <list>
#include <algorithm>
#include <iostream>

// Return whether second element is twice the first
bool twice ( int elem1, int elem2 )
{
   return 2 * elem1 < elem2;
}

int main( )
{
   using namespace std;
   vector <int> v1, v2;
   list <int> L1;
   vector <int>::iterator Iter1, Iter2;
   list <int>::iterator L1_Iter, L1_inIter;

   int i;
   for ( i = 0 ; i <= 5 ; i++ )
   {
      v1.push_back( 5 * i );
   }
   int ii;
   for ( ii = 0 ; ii <= 6 ; ii++ )
   {
      L1.push_back( 5 * ii );
   }

   int iii;
   for ( iii = 0 ; iii <= 5 ; iii++ )
   {
      v2.push_back( 10 * iii );
   }

   cout << "Vector v1 = ( " ;
   for ( Iter1 = v1.begin( ) ; Iter1 != v1.end( ) ; Iter1++ )
      cout << *Iter1 << " ";
   cout << ")" << endl;

   cout << "List L1 = ( " ;
   for ( L1_Iter = L1.begin( ) ; L1_Iter!= L1.end( ) ; L1_Iter++ )
      cout << *L1_Iter << " ";
   cout << ")" << endl;

   cout << "Vector v2 = ( " ;
   for ( Iter2 = v2.begin( ) ; Iter2 != v2.end( ) ; Iter2++ )
      cout << *Iter2 << " ";
      cout << ")" << endl;

   // Self lexicographical_comparison of v1 under identity
   bool result1;
   result1 = lexicographical_compare (v1.begin( ), v1.end( ),
                  v1.begin( ), v1.end( ) );
   if ( result1 )
      cout << "Vector v1 is lexicographically_less than v1." << endl;
   else
      cout << "Vector v1 is not lexicographically_less than v1." << endl;

   // lexicographical_comparison of v1 and L2 under identity
   bool result2;
   result2 = lexicographical_compare (v1.begin( ), v1.end( ),
                  L1.begin( ), L1.end( ) );
   if ( result2 )
      cout << "Vector v1 is lexicographically_less than L1." << endl;
   else
      cout << "Vector v1 is lexicographically_less than L1." << endl;

   bool result3;
   result3 = lexicographical_compare (v1.begin( ), v1.end( ),
                  v2.begin( ), v2.end( ), twice );
   if ( result3 )
      cout << "Vector v1 is lexicographically_less than v2 "
           << "under twice." << endl;
   else
      cout << "Vector v1 is not lexicographically_less than v2 "
           << "under twice." << endl;
}
Vector v1 = ( 0 5 10 15 20 25 )
List L1 = ( 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 )
Vector v2 = ( 0 10 20 30 40 50 )
Vector v1 is not lexicographically_less than v1.
Vector v1 is lexicographically_less than L1.
Vector v1 is not lexicographically_less than v2 under twice.

Requirements

Header: <algorithm>

Namespace: std

See Also

Reference

Standard Template Library

Other Resources

<algorithm> Members