public static int mismatch (short[] a, int aFromIndex, int aToIndex, short[] b, int bFromIndex, int bToIndex)

Finds and returns the relative index of the first mismatch between two short arrays over the specified ranges, otherwise return -1 if no mismatch is found. The index will be in the range of 0 (inclusive) up to the length (inclusive) of the smaller range.

If the two arrays, over the specified ranges, share a common prefix then the returned relative index is the length of the common prefix and it follows that there is a mismatch between the two elements at that relative index within the respective arrays. If one array is a proper prefix of the other, over the specified ranges, then the returned relative index is the length of the smaller range and it follows that the relative index is only valid for the array with the larger range. Otherwise, there is no mismatch.

Two non- null arrays, a and b with specified ranges [ aFromIndex, atoIndex) and [ bFromIndex, btoIndex) respectively, share a common prefix of length pl if the following expression is true:

     pl >= 0 &&
     pl < Math.min(aToIndex - aFromIndex, bToIndex - bFromIndex) &&
     Arrays.equals(a, aFromIndex, aFromIndex + pl, b, bFromIndex, bFromIndex + pl) &&
     a[aFromIndex + pl] != b[bFromIndex + pl]
 

Note that a common prefix length of 0 indicates that the first elements from each array mismatch.

Two non- null arrays, a and b with specified ranges [ aFromIndex, atoIndex) and [ bFromIndex, btoIndex) respectively, share a proper if the following expression is true:

     (aToIndex - aFromIndex) != (bToIndex - bFromIndex) &&
     Arrays.equals(a, 0, Math.min(aToIndex - aFromIndex, bToIndex - bFromIndex),
                   b, 0, Math.min(aToIndex - aFromIndex, bToIndex - bFromIndex))
 

Parameters:

a		the first array to be tested for a mismatch
aFromIndex		the index (inclusive) of the first element in the first array to be tested
aToIndex		the index (exclusive) of the last element in the first array to be tested
b		the second array to be tested for a mismatch
bFromIndex		the index (inclusive) of the first element in the second array to be tested
bToIndex		the index (exclusive) of the last element in the second array to be tested

Returns:  the relative index of the first mismatch between the two arrays over the specified ranges, otherwise -1.

Exceptions:

IllegalArgumentException		if aFromIndex > aToIndex or if bFromIndex > bToIndex
ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException		if aFromIndex < 0 or aToIndex > a.length or if bFromIndex < 0 or bToIndex > b.length
NullPointerException		if either array is null

Since:  9