Sorting array of string arrays

Question

I am sending a ArrayList as below from a web service call :

private ArrayList testList = new ArrayList();

Which will store values like :

"xyz (pound) (4545)"
"abc (in)    (346)"
"def (off)   (42424)"

I use this because of two reasons :

1 : I have to fetch this value in ASP.NET 1.1 framework.

2 : I use testList.Sort(); before sending.

But now I want to send these values as :

"xyz"   "pound"  "4545"
"abc"  "in"    "346"
"def"   "off" "42424"

So I found a way as below :

string[][] data = { new string[]{"xyz", "pound", "4545"},
                    new string[]{"abc", "in", "346"}, 
                    new string[]{"def", "off", "42424"}};

Question is : How can I sort it effectively?? OR Is there a better way to address this ?

Sort will be done based on first element :

abc
def
xyz

Heinzi · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-19 13:15:54Z

5

You write that you have to read this value in ASP 1.1, so I assume that you have a more modern version of the .NET framework available on the sending side.

If that is the case, you can use the OrderBy method of LINQ, included in Framework 3.5 or higher:

string[][] data = { new string[] { "xyz", "pound", "4545" }, 
                    new string[] { "abc", "in", "346" }, 
                    new string[] { "def", "off", "42424" } };
data = data.OrderBy(entry => entry[0]).ToArray();  // sorts by first field

answered Oct 19, 2012 at 13:15

Heinzi

173k61 gold badges386 silver badges554 bronze badges

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

4 Comments

Sergey Berezovskiy Over a year ago

Just wonder how this solution differs from my? Also comment it is wrong, because sorting is done by array item, not by field

James Over a year ago

Off the question -- I am adding these string arrays in loop...like this

//Adding each information to the array of string.                         data = new string[3];                         data[0] = "xyz";                         data[1] = "8787";                         data[2] = "dad";                          //Adding each row to the array list.                         arrList.Add(data);//Adding array list to the property object.                         vinDescription.ShowOptionalEquipment = (string[][])arrList.ToArray(typeof(string[]));

... Is this correct or a better way is there??

Heinzi Over a year ago

@lazyberezovsky: It doesn't differ significantly, we just happened to come up with the same solution at the same time. I used the term field in an informal sense here (call it an analogy or metaphor), since the inner array seems to represent some kind of record.

Heinzi Over a year ago

@Learner: I don't see a problem with your solution.

Sergey Berezovskiy · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-19 13:23:47Z

2

Just sort inner arrays by first item in array

string[][] sorted = data.OrderBy(array => array[0]).ToArray();

edited Oct 19, 2012 at 13:23

answered Oct 19, 2012 at 13:15

Sergey Berezovskiy

237k44 gold badges441 silver badges468 bronze badges

2 Comments

James Over a year ago

What will be the type of sorted ??

Sergey Berezovskiy Over a year ago

Array of string arrays, or string[][]. I used var just for shortening

GAURAV SHAH · Accepted Answer · 2018-10-31 14:52:36Z

0

Accepted answer is correct only in case we are trying to compare first letter of the string. I had similiar issue and to get accurate sorting, you need to order by whole string not just first char.

data = data.OrderBy(entry => entry).ToArray(); // sorts by first field

answered Oct 31, 2018 at 14:52

GAURAV SHAH

11 silver badge3 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Sorting array of string arrays

3 Answers 3

4 Comments

2 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

3 Answers 3

4 Comments

2 Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related