Comparison

ComparisonExpression ::= 
	       Expression "<"   Expression | 
	       Expression "<="  Expression | 
	       Expression "="   Expression | 
	       Expression ">="  Expression | 
	       Expression ">"   Expression | 
	       Expression "<>"  Expression |
	       Expression "<@"  Expression | 
	       Expression "<=@" Expression | 
	       Expression "=@"  Expression | 
	       Expression ">=@" Expression | 
	       Expression ">@"  Expression | 
	       Expression "<>@" Expression

Comparing integers or real numbers work as expected. Comparing character strings is based on the lexical order. Comparing lists is based on the following rules:

• Length are taken into consideration first. A list of two elements is always ``smaller'' (in RainCode's sense) than a list of three elements, no matter what these elements are.
• If the two lists are of the same length, their corresponding elements are compared one by one, until one is strictly smaller or greater than the other.
• If the two corresponding elements are of different types, a type-based rule is used to claim that integers are smaller than character string, which are smaller than non-terminals, etc...
• If the two corresponding elements are of the same type, the normal comparison rules for this type apply.

Except for integers and reals, mixed comparisons are not supported.

      The comparison operators with a postfix arobas ``@'' apply to character string arguments only, and compares them in a case-independent fashion. For instance, the following assertions apply:

ASSERT "Hello" <> "HELLO";
ASSERT "Hello" =@ "HELLO";
ASSERT "artist" > "Zorro";
ASSERT "artist" <@ "Zorro";