Sorting a mixed array of hashes and strings

Question

What is the syntax for sorting an array alphabetically by the key of a hash or by a string? I would like to sort the following:

['bob', 'apple', 'sandwich', {'lasagne' => 'munch'}, 'tangoed']

to give the following:

['apple', 'bob', {'lasagne' => 'munch'}, 'sandwich', 'tangoed']

sawa · Accepted Answer · 2014-08-11 10:37:51Z

2

Not clear what to do when a hash includes more than one key. Considering always the first key in a hash:

['bob', 'apple', 'sandwich', {'lasagne' => 'munch'}, 'tangoed']
.sort_by{|e| [*e].flatten.first}
#=> ["apple", "bob", {"lasagne"=>"munch"}, "sandwich", "tangoed"]

edited Aug 11, 2014 at 10:37

answered Aug 11, 2014 at 10:24

sawa

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2 Comments

Sam Over a year ago

Hi Sawa thanks for your answer, could you tell me what the [*e] part does before the flatten?

sawa Over a year ago

If to_a is defined (which is the case for hashes), then it applies to_a to it, remove the [] surrounding it, and surrounds it with another []. Otherwise (which is the case for strings), it surrounds it with [].

Cary Swoveland · Accepted Answer · 2014-08-11 14:26:36Z

0

You can just translate your words into symbols:

arr = ['bob', 'apple', 'sandwich', {'lasagne' => 'munch'}, 'tangoed']

arr.sort_by { |e| e.is_a?(String) ? e : e.keys.first }
  #=> ["apple", "bob", {"lasagne"=>"munch"}, "sandwich", "tangoed"]

answered Aug 11, 2014 at 14:26

Cary Swoveland

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