C++ :: Find Substring From A String

I am stuck in some logic and want to write a program to do following tasks : I have three string variables to be compared to each other,a string having sub string & hierarchy string!!

1.) name1=john name2=tom_john_tom name3=alextom_john
thus we need to search john from name2 and name3 and if name1 exists in both name2 and name3 then ok else check for step2

2.) name1=a.b.c.d ,name2=a.b.c.d and name3=a.b.c.d
we need to compare each string seperated by a dot in all three variables and we need to match each string seperated by a delimeter "."
if name1.a==name2.a==name3.a and name1.b==name2.b==name3.b ,name1.c==name2.c==name3.c and name1.d==name2.d==name3.d then its a match
else its a mismatch

Also,the catch is we can have name1 ,name2 and name3 in format name1=*.*.*.* and name2=*.*.*.* and name3=*.*.*.*
where * defines it can be any value to be matched

name1=government.india.public.property
name2=rural.roads.maximum.x
name3=government.india.public.sales
name4=rural.roads.minumum.x

If operator wants to match only the second field , then the logic should be like:

If the Value is to be matched = (*.#.*.*)
then "matched"
Else
its a mismacth

# => for this field of name2 and name3 shall be same
* => for this field name2 and name3 shall be ignored for comparison

to obtain option1 we can have find function and substr however pls suggest how to approach for second option !!!!