Sort array by decimal then by string - Javascript

Question

I need to sort an array of this format, using plain old Javascript.

var arr = ["0.01 BASIC", "0.01 SEF", "0.015 BASIC"];

What I need is for the array to be sorted first by decimal then by string and produce an output just like below;

arr = ["0.01 BASIC", "0.015 BASIC", "0.01 SEF"];

I cannot use jquery in performing the sort. Just plain good old Javascript.

Plain old JS has a sort function. Have a look here developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/JavaScript/Reference/… — elclanrs
– elclanrs, Commented Apr 9, 2013 at 6:47
@elclanrs Plain old JS has a sort function true, but it will not fulfill the requirement he specified for sorting with precedence. — Matthew Cox
– Matthew Cox, Commented Apr 9, 2013 at 6:48
@FeistyMango: Sure you can, you just need to get creative and try it out. There might be other ways but you can use sort to fulfill the requirement. — elclanrs
– elclanrs, Commented Apr 9, 2013 at 6:54

Denys Séguret · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-09 06:52:41Z

6

You can do this :

arr.sort(function(a,b){
   var at = a.split(' '), bt = b.split(' ');
   if (at[1]!=bt[1]) return at[1]>bt[1] ? 1 : -1;
   return parseFloat(at[0])-parseFloat(bt[0]);
});

If you want to sort a very big array, it might be faster to cache the keys. But it probably doesn't matter for most arrays.

Example :

["0.01 BASIC", "0.01 SEF", "0.015 BASIC", "0.2 BASIC", "0.001 SEF", "0.2 AAA"]
->
["0.2 AAA", "0.01 BASIC", "0.015 BASIC", "0.2 BASIC", "0.001 SEF", "0.01 SEF"]

answered Apr 9, 2013 at 6:52

Denys Séguret

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2 Comments

elclanrs Over a year ago

There! a solution using sort. Nice.

Matthew Cox Over a year ago

@elclanrs lol, this has really very little to do with using the sort() function and everything to do with dystroy implementing the meat and potatoes. The sort() function at this point is just a glorified for loop.

lordvlad · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-09 06:55:40Z

1

two consecutive sorts will work:

arr.sort(function(a,b){
  // sort by words first
  return a.match(/[a-z]+/i).join("")<b.match(/[a-z]+/i).join()?-1:1;
}).sort(function(a,b){
  // sort by numbers next, but only if the words are equal
  return a.match(/[a-z]+/i).join("")!==b.match(/[a-z]+/i).join("")?0:parseInt(a)<parseInt(b)?-1:1;
})

answered Apr 9, 2013 at 6:55

lordvlad

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4 Comments

Denys Séguret Over a year ago

I don't think ECMAScript's sort is guaranteed to be stable.

lordvlad Over a year ago

@dystroy what exactly do you mean?

Denys Séguret Over a year ago

I mean the the second sort can legally totally delete the order given by the first one.

lordvlad Over a year ago

well that goes without saying but i thought got that covered by comparing the strings in the second sort

Rajaprabhu Aravindasamy · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-09 07:31:16Z

1

using plain old Javascript : FIDDLE

    var xOriginal = ["0.01 BASIC", "0.015 BASIC", "0.01 SEF"];
    var xTemp = "";

for(var i=0;i<=xOriginal.length-1;i++)
{
for(var j=1;j<=xOriginal.length-1;j++)
{

 var xArr = xOriginal[i].split(" ");
 var yArr = xOriginal[j].split(" ");

  if((xArr[0] > yArr[0]) && (xArr[1] > yArr[1])) 
            {
               xTemp = xOriginal[i];
               xOriginal[i] = xOriginal[j];
               xOriginal[j] = xTemp;
            }


}
}

alert(xOriginal);

answered Apr 9, 2013 at 7:31

Rajaprabhu Aravindasamy

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