Javascript - sort array of strings in a custom way

Question

I have an array of strings:

var players = [{Name: player1name, Surname: player1surname, Position: "Centre back"}, {Name: player2name, Surname: player2surname, Position: "Striker"}, {Name: player3name, Surname: player3surname, Position: "Full back"}, {Name: player4name, Surname: player4surname, Position: "Goalkeeper"}, {Name: player5name, Surname: player5surname, Position: "Midfielder"}, {Name: player6name, Surname: player6surname, Position: "Winger"}];

Order of an array items is not always the same. I want to sort that array so it goes like this: Goalkeeper, Full back, Centre back, Midfielder, Winger, Striker. I'm thinking about enums but I don't know how to use them in this situation.

If you know the desired order, then why don't you define the array in that order? — trincot
– trincot, Commented Aug 24, 2017 at 17:33
@trincot I can't because I get players from database for specific squad and players aren't sorted when I get them. Every player has property "Position". — user7479651
– user7479651, Commented Aug 24, 2017 at 17:36
It would make the question more interesting if you would include the player values, because as it is now (with only positions), it looks like a problem that is not there. — trincot
– trincot, Commented Aug 24, 2017 at 17:38
@trincot I have edited a question. I will try an answer below. If you have more simple solution feel free to suggest it. — user7479651
– user7479651, Commented Aug 24, 2017 at 17:48

Nina Scholz · Accepted Answer · 2017-08-24 17:34:09Z

5

You could take an object for the sort order and then sort by the difference.

var players = ["Centre back", "Striker", "Full back", "Goalkeeper", "Midfielder", "Winger"],
    order = { Goalkeeper: 1, 'Full back': 2, 'Centre back': 3, Midfielder: 4, Winger: 5, Striker: 6 };
    
players.sort(function (a, b) {
    return order[a] - order[b];
});

console.log(players);

answered Aug 24, 2017 at 17:34

Nina Scholz

388k26 gold badges367 silver badges417 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

6 Comments

Suresh Atta Over a year ago

If he can manually define the order with an object, he could just change the array itself :D anyway good one. Have an upvote.

Nina Scholz Over a year ago

i think it's just a simplified array, for later use with more data in an object.

Suresh Atta Over a year ago

Yeah. Can think of that case.

user7479651 Over a year ago

Is it possible to use that logic on array of objects that have property 'position'?

Nina Scholz Over a year ago

@user7479651, it is possible with return order[a.position] - order[b.position];

|

Vasile Florin Vilsan · Accepted Answer · 2018-05-24 12:25:18Z

There you go. You should use this approach. You need to create a ranking map and then sort by that map.

let players = [
    {
    "name": "Molla Wague",
    "position": "Centre-Back",
    "jerseyNumber": 13,
    "dateOfBirth": "1991-02-21",
    "nationality": "Mali",
    "contractUntil": "2018-06-30",
    "marketValue": null
    },
    {
    "name": "Heurelho Gomes",
    "position": "Keeper",
    "jerseyNumber": 1,
    "dateOfBirth": "1981-02-15",
    "nationality": "Brazil",
    "contractUntil": "2019-06-30",
    "marketValue": null
    },
    {
    "name": "Christian Kabasele",
    "position": "Centre-Back",
    "jerseyNumber": 27,
    "dateOfBirth": "1991-02-24",
    "nationality": "Belgium",
    "contractUntil": "2021-06-30",
    "marketValue": null
    },
    {
    "name": "José Holebas",
    "position": "Left-Back",
    "jerseyNumber": 25,
    "dateOfBirth": "1984-06-27",
    "nationality": "Greece",
    "contractUntil": "2020-06-30",
    "marketValue": null
    },
    {
    "name": "Daryl Janmaat",
    "position": "Right-Back",
    "jerseyNumber": 2,
    "dateOfBirth": "1989-07-22",
    "nationality": "Netherlands",
    "contractUntil": "2020-06-30",
    "marketValue": null
    },
    {
    "name": "Étienne Capoue",
    "position": "Defensive Midfield",
    "jerseyNumber": 29,
    "dateOfBirth": "1988-07-11",
    "nationality": "France",
    "contractUntil": "2019-06-30",
    "marketValue": null
    },
    {
    "name": "Tom Cleverley",
    "position": "Central Midfield",
    "jerseyNumber": 8,
    "dateOfBirth": "1989-08-12",
    "nationality": "England",
    "contractUntil": "2022-06-30",
    "marketValue": null
    },
    {
    "name": "Roberto Pereyra",
    "position": "Attacking Midfield",
    "jerseyNumber": 37,
    "dateOfBirth": "1991-01-07",
    "nationality": "Argentina",
    "contractUntil": "2021-06-30",
    "marketValue": null
    },
    {
    "name": "Troy Deeney",
    "position": "Centre-Forward",
    "jerseyNumber": 9,
    "dateOfBirth": "1988-06-29",
    "nationality": "England",
    "contractUntil": "2021-06-30",
    "marketValue": null
    }
];
const rankMap = {
	'Keeper': 1,
    'Centre-Back': 2,
    'Right-Back': 3,
    'Left-Back': 4,
    'Defensive Midfield': 5,
    'Central Midfield': 6,
    'Attacking Midfield': 7,
    'Right Wing': 8,
    'Left Wing': 9,
    'Centre-Forward': 10
};

players = players.sort((a, b) => rankMap[a.position] - rankMap[b.position]);

console.log(players);

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Javascript - sort array of strings in a custom way

2 Answers 2

6 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

6 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related