An objective-c category for NSString to do version string comparison.
Compare version strings easily with this category to NSString. To compare versions with each other, simply call the compareToVersion: function.
[@"1.2.2.4" compareToVersion:@"1.2.2.5"];The result is NSComparisonResult; either NSOrderedAscending, NSOrderedDescending, NSOrderedSame.
The function will take all version elements into account and detects version changes more accurate then e.g.;
[@"1.2.2" compare:@"1.2.2.5" options:NSNumericSearch]There are a few helper methods that make version comparison even easier;
[@"1.2.2.4" isOlderThanVersion:@"1.2.2.5"];
[@"1.2.2.4" isNewerThanVersion:@"1.2.2.5"];
[@"1.2.2.4" isEqualToVersion:@"1.2.2.5"];
[@"1.2.2.4" isEqualOrOlderThanVersion:@"1.2.2.5"];
[@"1.2.2.4" isEqualOrNewerThanVersion:@"1.2.2.5"];The result is a boolean indicating the test result.
Jowyer added two new methods that do optimistic version checking. You can define what your "main version" is, and then check to only do updates in the same main version.
[@"1.2.3.4" getMainVersionWithIntegerCount:1]; // returns 1 as your main version
[@"1.2.3.4" getMainVersionWithIntegerCount:2]; // returns 1.2 as your main version
[@"1.2.3.4" needsToUpdateToVersion:@"1.2.4" mainVersionIntegerCount: 2]; // returns YES, as the main version (1.2) is the same
[@"1.2.3.4" needsToUpdateToVersion:@"1.3.6" mainVersionIntegerCount: 2]; // returns NO, as the main version (1.2) is not the same as 1.3
A test application is included with a unit test, that covers every method in the class.
Include the two NSString+CompareToVersion.* files, located in the Library folder into your project. Include the category where you want to use it;
#import "NSString+CompareToVersion.h"Fork me, make your change, write some tests and create a pull request!