---
url: >-
  /statelake/scripting-reference/functions-and-procedures/string-functions/soundex-functions/soundexcompare.md
---

# SoundexCompare

SoundexCompare simply compares the **Soundex** representations of the two strings **AText** and **AOther**.

The two (2) strings are converted into their phonetic representations, where each character of the resulting string represents one of six families of similar phonemes. The function then compares the first **ALength** characters of the resulting representations.

::: info
An **ALength** of 8 would give a more precise comparison than an **ALength** of 5.
:::

**SoundexCompare** returns -

* Zero (0) if the first **ALength** characters of the phonetic representations are identical - **AText** = **AOther**.
* Minus one (-1) if the representation of **AText** is less than the representation of **AOther** - AText < AOther.
* One (1) if the representation of **AText** is greater than the representation of **AOther** - **AText > AOther**.

**Declaration**: Function SoundexCompare( const AText, AOther : string; ALength : TSoundexLength) : Integer;

For instance, the **Soundex** value for **Simon** is **S5500** and for **Garfunkel** is **G6152**. So **Garfunkel** is less than **Simon**. And **Eugene** is **E2500**, so is less than **Garfunkel**.

```pascal
procedure ScriptEvent (var Value : variant);
var sConfYN : boolean;
begin
  LogInfo('');
  sLen := SoundexCompare('ruby','roobie',8);
  LogInfo('ruby-roobie  '+IntToStr(sLen));
  sLen := SoundexCompare('leigh','lee',8);
  LogInfo('leigh-lee  '+IntToStr(sLen));
  sLen := SoundexCompare('lee','leigh',8);
  LogInfo('lee-leigh  '+IntToStr(sLen));
  sStr := 'sleigh';
  sStr1 := 'slay';
  sLen := SoundexCompare(sStr,sStr1,8);
  LogInfo('sleigh-slay  '+IntToStr(sLen));
  sStr := 'michael';
  sStr1 := 'eugene';
  sLen := SoundexCompare(sStr,sStr1,8);
  LogInfo('michael-eugene  '+IntToStr(sLen));
  sLen := SoundexCompare(sStr1,sStr,8);
  LogInfo('eugene-michael  '+IntToStr(sLen));
  sStr := 'simon';
  sStr1 := 'garfunkel';
  sLen := SoundexCompare(sStr,sStr1,8);
  LogInfo('simon-garfunkel  '+IntToStr(sLen));
  sLen := SoundexCompare('garfunkel','simon',8);
  LogInfo('HC garfunkel-simon  '+IntToStr(sLen));
  sLen := SoundexCompare(sStr1,sStr,8);
  LogInfo('garfunkel-simon  '+IntToStr(sLen));
  sLen := SoundexCompare('park','price',8);
  LogInfo('park-price  '+IntToStr(sLen));
end;
```

The resulting log follows -