---
title: compareName
framework: kernel
role: pseudoSymbol
path: kernel/ioregistryentry/1810236-comparename
---

# compareName

Compares the name of the entry with one name, and optionally returns the matching name.

## Declaration

```occ
virtual bool compareName(
 OSString *name,
 OSString **matched = 0 ) const; 
```

## Parameters

- `name`: The name to compare with as an OSString.
- `matched`: If the caller wants the successfully matched name returned, pass a non-zero pointer for the matched parameter and an OSString will be returned here. It should be released by the caller. Generally, this will be the same as the name parameter, but may not be if wildcards are used.

## Return Value

Return Value True if the name compared true with the entry's global name.

## Overview

Overview This method is called during IOService name matching and elsewhere from the compareNames method. It should be overridden to provide non-standard name matching.

## See Also

### Miscellaneous

- [attachToChild](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810177-attachtochild.md)
- [attachToParent](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810196-attachtoparent.md)
- [childFromPath](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810215-childfrompath.md)
- [compareNames](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810259-comparenames.md)
- [copyChildEntry](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810279-copychildentry.md)
- [copyLocation](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810296-copylocation.md)
- [copyName](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810315-copyname.md)
- [copyParentEntry](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810335-copyparententry.md)
- [copyProperty(const char *)](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810352-copyproperty.md)
- [copyProperty(const char *, const IORegistryPlane *, IOOptionBits)](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810371-copyproperty.md)
- [copyProperty(const OSString *)](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810386-copyproperty.md)
- [copyProperty(const OSString *, const IORegistryPlane *, IOOptionBits)](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810403-copyproperty.md)
- [copyProperty(const OSSymbol *)](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810428-copyproperty.md)
- [copyProperty(const OSSymbol *, const IORegistryPlane *, IOOptionBits)](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810451-copyproperty.md)
- [dealiasPath](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810478-dealiaspath.md)
- [detachAbove](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810509-detachabove.md)
- [detachAll](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810550-detachall.md)
- [detachFromChild](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810594-detachfromchild.md)
- [detachFromParent](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810632-detachfromparent.md)
- [dictionaryWithProperties](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810672-dictionarywithproperties.md)
- [free](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810704-free.md)
- [fromPath(const char *, const IORegistryPlane *, char *, int *)](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810742-frompath.md)
- [fromPath(const char *, const IORegistryPlane *, char *, int *, IORegistryEntry *)](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810796-frompath.md)
- [getChildEntry](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810842-getchildentry.md)
- [getChildIterator](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810873-getchilditerator.md)
- [getDepth](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810910-getdepth.md)
- [getGenerationCount](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810941-getgenerationcount.md)
- [getLocation](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810970-getlocation.md)
- [getName](kernel/ioregistryentry/1810990-getname.md)
- [getParentEntry](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811012-getparententry.md)
- [getParentIterator](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811037-getparentiterator.md)
- [getPath](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811074-getpath.md)
- [getPathComponent](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811114-getpathcomponent.md)
- [getPlane](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811147-getplane.md)
- [getProperty(const char *)](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811182-getproperty.md)
- [getProperty(const char *, const IORegistryPlane *, IOOptionBits)](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811215-getproperty.md)
- [getProperty(const OSString *)](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811230-getproperty.md)
- [getProperty(const OSString *, const IORegistryPlane *, IOOptionBits)](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811244-getproperty.md)
- [getProperty(const OSSymbol *)](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811254-getproperty.md)
- [getProperty(const OSSymbol *, const IORegistryPlane *, IOOptionBits)](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811263-getproperty.md)
- [getPropertyTable](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811272-getpropertytable.md)
- [getRegistryEntryID](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811281-getregistryentryid.md)
- [getRegistryRoot](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811288-getregistryroot.md)
- [init](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811299-init.md)
- [inPlane](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811307-inplane.md)
- [isChild](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811317-ischild.md)
- [isParent](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811327-isparent.md)
- [makePlane](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811335-makeplane.md)
- [removeProperty](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811343-removeproperty.md)
- [removeProperty(const OSString *)](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811354-removeproperty.md)
- [removeProperty(const OSSymbol *)](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811362-removeproperty.md)
- [runPropertyAction](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811370-runpropertyaction.md)
- [serializeProperties](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811384-serializeproperties.md)
- [setLocation](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811397-setlocation.md)
- [setName(const char *, const IORegistryPlane *)](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811407-setname.md)
- [setName(const OSSymbol *, const IORegistryPlane *)](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811420-setname.md)
- [setProperties](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811430-setproperties.md)
- [setProperty](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811442-setproperty.md)
- [setProperty(const char *, bool)](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811451-setproperty.md)
- [setProperty(const char *, const char *)](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811461-setproperty.md)
- [setProperty(const char *, OSObject *)](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811476-setproperty.md)
- [setProperty(const char *, unsigned long long, unsigned int)](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811491-setproperty.md)
- [setProperty(const OSString *, OSObject *)](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811507-setproperty.md)
- [setProperty(const OSSymbol *, OSObject *)](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811520-setproperty.md)
- [setPropertyTable](kernel/ioregistryentry/1811536-setpropertytable.md)