---
name: "stranaxfrm"
section: "3pub"
platform: "linux"
package: "publib-dev"
version: "0.40-4"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/stranaxfrm"
---

# stranaxfrm(3pub)

make a string into canonical form for anagram comparison

## NAME

stranaxfrm - make a string into canonical form for anagram comparison

## SYNOPSIS

```
#include <publib.h>
char *stranaxfrm(char *str);
```

## DESCRIPTION

*stranaxfrm* 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.

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.

## RETURN VALUE

*stranaxfrm* returns its argument.

## BUGS

This function is of a whimsical nature.

## SEE ALSO

publib(3), [strcmp(3)](/strcmp/3.md), [strcasecmp(3)](/strcasecmp/3.md)

## AUTHOR

Lars Wirzenius (lars.wirzenius@helsinki.fi)