\documentclass[12pt,a4paper,final]{article}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[english]{babel}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\listfiles


\usepackage[verbose]{datatool}


\begin{document}


\DTLifstringeq{an apple}{an~apple}{true}{false}

\DTLifstringeq{An apple}{an~apple}{true}{false}

\DTLifstringeq*{an apple}{an~apple}{true}{false}

\DTLifstringeq*{An apple}{an~apple}{true}{false}


\end{document}



