Character string processing.

摘要

Strings of characters are ordered automatically in a computer system by comparing the weights of the characters of each pair of corresponding characters in a first and second of the strings of characters; comparing the numerical character codes of a first pair of the corresponding characters which are determined to have equal weights; and positioning a character string having a corresponding character with a lower numerical character code to have a predetermined order with respect to the other of the first and second character strings when all pairs of corresponding characters succeeding the first pair also have equal weights. This results in automated alphabetising of character strings which is consistent regardless of the order in which the character strings are sorted, while retaining the flavour of the language conventions when possible, and while providing a solution not requiring substantial extra computing power.