note the following code...

#include <iostream>

#inlcude <string>

using namespace std;

void main()

{

string x = "Hello";

string y = "Hey";

if( x < y )

cout << "x is less than y";

else

cout << "x is either equal to or greater than y";

}

How does the < operator work on strings? For example: for string x, does it add up the ASCII values of each letter in the word 'Hello' and compare that to the value of Hey?

( H+e+l+l+o < H+e+y ) <-- like that?

Thanks,
Austin

No, that's numerology. C++ string operators work on ASCII character values.

All relational operators work.

It looks at each string (starting at the first character). Comparison is according to the ASCII value of the characters (A < B, B < C, etc.). If alll the characters are the same, the strings are equal.

Otherwise, the first time that a character is encountered where they are not equal, the inequality values are set (< or >). If all characters are equal up to the end of one of the strings, but the strings have different lengths, the shorter one is less than the longer one.

So: Hello < Hey
Heylo < Heyloo
Hey < hey

OK?

Dave

Awesome! Thanks Dave, you've been a big help

Austin