Mono Documentation

Returns the sort order of the current instance compared to the specified object. [Edit]

public int CompareTo (object version)

Parameters

version
The object to compare to the current instance. [Edit]

Returns

The return value is a negative number, zero, or a positive number reflecting the sort order of the current instance as compared to version. For non-zero return values, the exact value returned by this method is unspecified. The following table defines the return value:
Return Value Description
A negative number Current instance < version.
Zero Current instance == version.
A positive number
Current instance > version, or version is a null reference.
[Edit]

Return Value	Description
A negative number	Current instance < version.
Zero	Current instance == version.
A positive number	Current instance > version, or version is a null reference.

Exceptions

Type Reason
ArgumentException version is not a Version and is not a null reference [Edit]

Type	Reason
ArgumentException	version is not a Version and is not a null reference [Edit]

Remarks

Note:
The components of Version in decreasing order of importance are: major, minor, build, and revision. An undefined component is assumed to be older than any defined component.
This method is implemented to support the IComparable interface.
[Edit]

Example

C# Example

using System;
class VersionTest {
   static string Test ( Version v1, Version v2 ) {
      int i = v1.CompareTo(v2);
      if ( i < 0 )
         return "older than";
      else if ( i == 0 )
         return "the same as";
      else
         return "newer than";
   }
   public static void Main() {
      Version vers1 = new Version( "6.1.2.4" );
      Version vers2 = new Version( 6, 1 );
      Version vers3 = new Version( 6, 1, 3 );
      Console.Write("Version {0} is {1} ",
                    vers1, Test(vers1, vers2));
      Console.WriteLine("version {0}", vers2); 
      Console.Write("Version {0} is {1} ",
                    vers1, Test(vers1, vers3));
      Console.WriteLine("version {0}", vers3); 
      Console.Write("Version {0} is {1} ",
                    vers3, Test(vers3, vers3));
      Console.WriteLine("version {0}", vers3); 
      Console.Write("Version {0} is {1} ",
                    vers2, Test(vers2, vers1));
      Console.WriteLine("version {0}", vers1);
   }
}

The output is

Version 6.1.2.4 is newer than version 6.1 Version 6.1.2.4 is older than version 6.1.3 Version 6.1.3 is the same as version 6.1.3 Version 6.1 is older than version 6.1.2.4

Requirements