How to compare version string (“x.y.z”) in MySQL?

Question

I have firmware version strings into my table (like \"4.2.2\" or \"4.2.16\")

How can I compare, select or sort them ?

I cannot use standard strings compariso

Answer 1

This is my solution. It not depends on number of subversion.

For example:

select SF_OS_VERSION_COMPARE('2016.10.1712.58','2016.9.1712.58');

returns 'HIGH'

select SF_OS_VERSION_COMPARE('2016.10.1712.58','2016.10.1712.58');

returns 'EQUAL'

delimiter //

DROP FUNCTION IF EXISTS SF_OS_VERSION_COMPARE //

CREATE FUNCTION SF_OS_VERSION_COMPARE(ver_1 VARCHAR(50), ver_2 VARCHAR(50)) RETURNS VARCHAR(5)
    DETERMINISTIC
    COMMENT 'Return "HIGH", "LOW" OR "EQUAL" comparing VER_1 with VER_2'
BEGIN
    DECLARE v_ver1 VARCHAR(50);
    DECLARE v_ver2 VARCHAR(50);
    DECLARE v_ver1_num INT;
    DECLARE v_ver2_num INT;

    SET v_ver1 = ver_1;
    SET v_ver2 = ver_2;

    WHILE ( v_ver1 <> v_ver2 AND ( v_ver1 IS NOT NULL OR v_ver2 IS NOT NULL )) DO

    SET v_ver1_num = CAST(SUBSTRING_INDEX(v_ver1, '.', 1) AS UNSIGNED INTEGER);
    SET v_ver2_num = CAST(SUBSTRING_INDEX(v_ver2, '.', 1) AS UNSIGNED INTEGER);

    IF ( v_ver1_num > v_ver2_num )
    THEN
        return 'HIGH';
    ELSEIF ( v_ver1_num < v_ver2_num )
    THEN
        RETURN 'LOW';
    ELSE
        SET v_ver1 = SUBSTRING(v_ver1,LOCATE('.', v_ver1)+1);
        SET v_ver2 = SUBSTRING(v_ver2,LOCATE('.', v_ver2)+1);
    END IF;

    END WHILE;

    RETURN 'EQUAL';

END //