Eng:Comparing Strings

Comparing strings is the process of analyzing and outputting the differences or similarities between two strings. Comparing strings has many uses:
 * Checking differences or similarities in a user response and the correct answer
 * Analyzing the different responses from users inputted by Cloud Data on a form project
 * Parsing lines of code

Compiling the Differences
Two variables may typically have differences in characters. For example, of  has a value of "potato" and   has a value of "tomato" the differences would be "pm" because those are the characters not shared by both variables. Only  contains a "p" and oinly   contains an "m". The following custom block analyzes the two strings specified by the block definition's parameters and compiled a variable of characters unshared between the two variables. define compare differences of [str 1] to [str 2] delete [all v] of [chars v] set [i v] to [1] repeat (length of (str 1)) add (letter (i) of (str 1)) to [chars v] change [i v] by (1) end set [differences v] to [] //will contain all unshared characters set [i v] to (1) repeat (length of (str 2)) if > set [differences v] to (join (differences) (letter (i) of (str 2))) change [i v] by (1) end end

Compiling the Similarities
Programming a variable that reports the similarities in two strings is only slightly changed.

define compare similarities of [str 1] to [str 2] delete [all v] of [chars v] set [i v] to [1] repeat (length of (str 1)) add (letter (i) of (str 1)) to [chars v] change [i v] by (1) end set [similarities v] to [] //will contain all shared characters set [i v] to (1) repeat (length of (str 2)) if <[chars v] contains (letter (i) of (str 2))> // this is the change set [similarities v] to (join (similarities) (letter (i) of (str 2))) change [i v] by (1) end end