.\" part of publib
.\" "@(#)publib-strutil:$Id: stranaxfrm.3,v 1.1 1994/06/20 20:30:05 liw Exp $"
.\"
.TH STRANAXFRM 3 "C Programmer's Manual" Publib "C Programmer's Manual"
.SH NAME
stranaxfrm \- make a string into canonical form for anagram comparison
.SH SYNOPSIS
.nf
#include <publib.h>
char *\fBstranaxfrm\fI(char *\fIstr\fR);
.SH DESCRIPTION
\fIstranaxfrm\fR transforms a string into a canonical form for anagram comparisons.
To check whether two strings are anagrams of each other (i.e., they contain
the same characters, but in different order), compare their canonical forms.
The canonical form merely has all the characters in the string sorted into
ascending order.
.PP
To write a program to find anagrams, first convert a word list
into canonical order, then look up words in that version of the word list
by transforming them also to canonical order.  
.SH "RETURN VALUE"
\fIstranaxfrm\fR returns its argument.
.SH BUGS
This function is of a whimsical nature.
.SH "SEE ALSO"
publib(3), strcmp(3), strcasecmp(3)
.SH AUTHOR
Lars Wirzenius (lars.wirzenius@helsinki.fi)