How can I make the map::find operation case insensitive?

Question

Does the map::find method support case insensitive search? I have a map as follows:

map<string, vector<string> > directory;

and want the below search to ignore case:

directory.find(search_string);

Solution 1

It does not by default. You will have to provide a custom comparator as a third argument. Following snippet will help you...

  /************************************************************************/
  /* Comparator for case-insensitive comparison in STL assos. containers  */
  /************************************************************************/
  struct ci_less : std::binary_function<std::string, std::string, bool>
  {
    // case-independent (ci) compare_less binary function
    struct nocase_compare : public std::binary_function<unsigned char,unsigned char,bool> 
    {
      bool operator() (const unsigned char& c1, const unsigned char& c2) const {
          return tolower (c1) < tolower (c2); 
      }
    };
    bool operator() (const std::string & s1, const std::string & s2) const {
      return std::lexicographical_compare 
        (s1.begin (), s1.end (),   // source range
        s2.begin (), s2.end (),   // dest range
        nocase_compare ());  // comparison
    }
  };

Use it like std::map< std::string, std::vector<std::string>, ci_less > myMap;

NOTE: std::lexicographical_compare has some nitty-gritty details. String comparison isn't always straightforward if you consider locales. See this thread on c.l.c++ if interested.

UPDATE: With C++11 std::binary_function is deprecated and is unnecessary as the types are deduced automatically.

  struct ci_less
  {
    // case-independent (ci) compare_less binary function
    struct nocase_compare
    {
      bool operator() (const unsigned char& c1, const unsigned char& c2) const {
          return tolower (c1) < tolower (c2); 
      }
    };
    bool operator() (const std::string & s1, const std::string & s2) const {
      return std::lexicographical_compare 
        (s1.begin (), s1.end (),   // source range
        s2.begin (), s2.end (),   // dest range
        nocase_compare ());  // comparison
    }
  };

Solution 2

Here are some other alternatives, including one which performs significantly faster.

#include    <map>
#include    <string>
#include    <cstring>
#include    <iostream>
#include    <boost/algorithm/string.hpp>

using std::string;
using std::map;
using std::cout;
using std::endl;

using namespace boost::algorithm;

// recommended in Meyers, Effective STL when internationalization and embedded
// NULLs aren't an issue.  Much faster than the STL or Boost lex versions.
struct ciLessLibC : public std::binary_function<string, string, bool> {
    bool operator()(const string &lhs, const string &rhs) const {
        return strcasecmp(lhs.c_str(), rhs.c_str()) < 0 ;
    }
};

// Modification of Manuel's answer
struct ciLessBoost : std::binary_function<std::string, std::string, bool>
{
    bool operator() (const std::string & s1, const std::string & s2) const {
        return lexicographical_compare(s1, s2, is_iless());
    }
};

typedef map< string, int, ciLessLibC> mapLibc_t;
typedef map< string, int, ciLessBoost> mapBoost_t;

int main(void) {
    mapBoost_t cisMap; // change to test other comparitor 

    cisMap["foo"] = 1;
    cisMap["FOO"] = 2;

    cisMap["bar"] = 3;
    cisMap["BAR"] = 4;

    cisMap["baz"] = 5;
    cisMap["BAZ"] = 6;

    cout << "foo == " << cisMap["foo"] << endl;
    cout << "bar == " << cisMap["bar"] << endl;
    cout << "baz == " << cisMap["baz"] << endl;

    return 0;
}

Solution 3

For C++11 and beyond:

#include <strings.h>
#include <map>
#include <string>

namespace detail
{

struct CaseInsensitiveComparator
{
    bool operator()(const std::string& a, const std::string& b) const noexcept
    {
        return ::strcasecmp(a.c_str(), b.c_str()) < 0;
    }
};

}   // namespace detail


template <typename T>
using CaseInsensitiveMap = std::map<std::string, T, detail::CaseInsensitiveComparator>;



int main(int argc, char* argv[])
{
    CaseInsensitiveMap<int> m;

    m["one"] = 1;
    std::cout << m.at("ONE") << "\n";

    return 0;
}

Solution 4

You can instantiate std::map with three parameters: type of keys, type of values, and comparison function -- a strict weak ordering (essentially, a function or functor behaving like operator< in terms of transitivity and anti-reflexivity) of your liking. Just define the third parameter to do "case-insensitive less-than" (e.g. by a < on the lowercased strings it's comparing) and you'll have the "case-insensitive map" you desire!

Solution 5

I use the following:

bool str_iless(std::string const & a, 
               std::string const & b)
{
    return boost::algorithm::lexicographical_compare(a, b,  
                                                     boost::is_iless());
}
std::map<std::string, std::string, 
         boost::function<bool(std::string const &, 
                              std::string const &)> 
         > case_insensitive_map(&str_iless);

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