How to compare 2 versions in VB6

I have 2 versions, lets say 1.0.2016.1000 and 1.0.2015.2000, out of which the first one is higher version.

How to do these comparision in vb6?

If both are same, it should return true without any looping. Else, it should do a minimum looping mechanism and return true if first version is greater and false if it is lesser.

In version numbering the last portion is typically the build number and will always be higher if the build is newer even if there were no changes at all to the code.

"Typically"? You sure have a lot of faith in programmers to follow conventions... definitely don't rely on that in production code even if it is 'typical' since it's ignored too much to trust.

If you need to be sure you need to compare each one. I'd be hesistant to even trust there always being 4 numbers (e.g. VB by default only has 3), but if it's only for the same file from the same company it should be safe, so:
(pseudocode to show concept)

Dim sVersion1() As String, sVersion2() As String
sVersion = Split(fullversion, ".")
if clng(sversion2(0)) > clng(sVersion1(0)) then return true and exit
elseif clng(sVersion2(0)) < clng(sVersion1(0)) then return false and exit

(so checks only continue if they're equal. repeat for 1, 2 and 3, or put into a for i = 0 to ubound if you want to guard against 3-entry versions. without anything else it would also return false if versions were equal)

This is how I do it. (sort of the .NET way)

VB Code:

Public Type TVersion
    Major           As Long
    Minor           As Long
    Build           As Long
    Revision        As Long
End Type
 
Public Function StringToVer(VerString As String) As TVersion
    Dim VerSplit() As String
    VerSplit = Split(VerString, ".")
    If (UBound(VerSplit()) <> 3) Then Err.Raise 5, "StringToVer()", "Invalid Version String"
    With StringToVer
        .Major = VerSplit(0)
        .Minor = VerSplit(1)
        .Build = VerSplit(2)
        .Revision = VerSplit(3)
    End With
End Function
 
Public Function VerHashCode(Ver As TVersion) As Long
    VerHashCode = VerHashCode Or (Ver.Major And &HF&) * &H10000000
    VerHashCode = VerHashCode Or (Ver.Minor And &HFF&) * &H100000
    VerHashCode = VerHashCode Or (Ver.Build And &HFF&) * &H1000&
    VerHashCode = VerHashCode Or (Ver.Revision And &HFFF&)
End Function
 
If (VerHashCode(StringToVer("1.2.3.4")) > VerHashCode(StringToVer("1.2.3.4"))) Then
   'Whatever...
End if

NOTE: This wouldn't work in your case however, because the large Build number.


here's a revised Compare:

VB Code:

Public Function VerCompare(Ver1 As TVersion, Ver2 As TVersion) As Long
    If Ver1.Major <> Ver2.Major Then
        If Ver1.Major > Ver2.Major Then
            VerCompare = 1
        Else
            VerCompare = -1
        End If
    ElseIf Ver1.Minor <> Ver2.Minor Then
        If Ver1.Minor > Ver2.Minor Then
            VerCompare = 1
        Else
            VerCompare = -1
        End If
    ElseIf Ver1.Build <> Ver2.Build Then
        If Ver1.Build > Ver2.Build Then
            VerCompare = 1
        Else
            VerCompare = -1
        End If
    ElseIf Ver1.Revision <> Ver2.Revision Then
        If Ver1.Revision > Ver2.Revision Then
            VerCompare = 1
        Else
            VerCompare = -1
        End If
    End If
End Function

VerCompare(StringToVer("1.2.3.4"),StringToVer("0.2.3.4"))

Another...

Code:

---

Private Sub Command1_Click()

    Print VersionCompare("1.0.2016.1000", "1.0.2015.2000")

End Sub

Function VersionCompare(v1 As String, v2 As String) As Boolean
   
    Const pad& = 4
    Dim array1() As String, array2() As String, i as long
   
    array1 = Split(v1, ".")
    array2 = Split(v2, ".")
    If UBound(array1()) <> UBound(array2()) Then MsgBox ("Not comparable")
    For i = 0 To UBound(array1())
        array1(i) = Right$(String$(pad, "0") & array1(i), pad)
        array2(i) = Right$(String$(pad, "0") & array2(i), pad)
    Next
    VersionCompare = Join(array1(), ".") > Join(array2(), ".")
   
End Function

---

Nice seeing everyone uses his own preferred approach:

Code:

---

Public Function CompareVersions(sVersion1 As String, sVersion2 As String) As Boolean
  Dim aV1() As String, aV2 As String
  Dim i As Long
       
  aV1 = Split(sVersion1, ".")
  aV2 = Split(sVersion2, ".")

  If UBound(aV1()) <> UBound(aV2()) Then
    MsgBox ("Not comparable")
    Exit Function
  End If

  For i = 0 To UBound(aV1)
    If CLng(aV1(i)) > CLng(aV2(i)) Then
      CompareVersion = True
      Exit For
    End If
  Next i
End Function

---

FYI - if your example has code like this:

Code:

---

versionArray = Split(v1, ".")

---

You need to be careful with how your original version string was retrieved. If it used any functions where locale settings come into play, the separator may be a comma instead of a period. As as "quick and dirty" failsafe, you can preface your check with something like:

Code:

---

If InStr(1, versionString, ",", vbBinaryCompare) Then versionString = Replace$(versionString, ",", ".")

---

reguardless of how the numbers appear...

if you add a number of the separators to the fetched value such that a.b.c.d becomes a.b.c.d.... you will prevent the split() versions that rely on x number of separators from failing

if you fetch the whole thing and replace the separators with nulls you will end up with a large number or string that can be compared directly you will not know the magnitude of the revision , but you will recognise the priority.

here to help ( simplify )