Combine multiple arrays containing objects using object property values

Question

I have an array that contains multiple objects, which i'm trying to add to another larger array with more objects in it. I'm wondering how I can automatically assign their position based on a property that each object shares. Example:

function person(name, age) {
this.name = name;
this.age = age;
}

function pet(name, age) {
this.name = name;
this.age = age;
}

var person1 = new person("Amanda", 25);
var person2 = new person("Jack", 29);
var pet1 = new pet("Fluffy", 4);
var pet2 = new pet("Spaz", 5);

personArray = [person1, person2];
petArray = [pet1, pet2];

In the example I would like to combine the personArray and petArray into a new array using the age property of each to sort them into the array by order of youngest to oldest. Any help is appreciated.

Take a look at underscore.js which has a number of handy array and object handling functions. — Diodeus - James MacFarlane
– Diodeus - James MacFarlane, Commented Jul 18, 2014 at 19:32

Paul Roub · Accepted Answer · 2014-07-18 19:32:19Z

1

concat() and sort() will get you there:

var mixedArray = personArray.concat(petArray).sort(
  function (a, b) {
    return a.age - b.age;
  }
);

Results in:

[
  {
    "name": "Fluffy",
    "age": 4
  },
  {
    "name": "Spaz",
    "age": 5
  },
  {
    "name": "Amanda",
    "age": 25
  },
  {
    "name": "Jack",
    "age": 29
  }
]

answered Jul 18, 2014 at 19:32

Paul Roub

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3 Comments

Numbersgame Over a year ago

Kudos! I figured there was something about sort I was missing. Thanks for all the responses. Sorry for pulling out a noobish question. :)

Dwza Over a year ago

what happens if the person has the same name and age like the pet, is it twice in the array.... will it get combined?!?!? just want to know for me :)

Paul Roub Over a year ago

Nothing will be combined this way - you'll have two entries, sorted next to each other, with the same name and age.

Paul Roub · Accepted Answer · 2014-07-18 19:32:57Z

0

You can use Array.sort with a custom comparator-function:

var mixedSortedArray = personArray.concat(petArray).sort(function(a, b) {
    return a.age - b.age;
});

edited Jul 18, 2014 at 19:32

Paul Roub

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answered Jul 18, 2014 at 19:32

Vivin Paliath

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Comments

Alex W · Accepted Answer · 2014-07-18 19:37:57Z

0

You can easily do it with the built-in Array.sort function. You would just have to check what properties the object has and then the age. Your objects, in your example, are very similar to the example on MDN:

var items = [
  { name: "Edward", age: 21 },
  { name: "Sharpe", age: 37 },
  { name: "And", age: 45 },
  { name: "The", age: 12 },
  { name: "Magnetic" },
  { name: "Zeros", age: 37 }
];
items.sort(function (a, b) {
    if (a.name > b.name)
      return 1;
    if (a.name < b.name)
      return -1;
    // a must be equal to b
    return 0;
});

https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Array/sort

edited Jul 18, 2014 at 19:37

answered Jul 18, 2014 at 19:32

Alex W

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