Sorting an array of List<string> using linq

Question

How do I sort an array of List<string> by length of string using Linq? The efficiency of execution does not matter.

List<string>[] col = new List<string>[]
{
    new List<string>(){"aaa", "bbb"},
    new List<string>(){"a", "b", "d"},
    new List<string>(){"xy","sl","yy","aq"}
}; //Each string in a list of strings of a particular array element has equal length.

After sorting should produce

{"a", "b", "d"}, {"xy","sl","yy","aq"}, {"aaa", "bbb"}

@Roman Koliada: The given array itself should be sorted so that the structure is maintained in the original array form. — Lirila Mzr
– Lirila Mzr, Commented Feb 14, 2018 at 14:00

Camilo Terevinto · Accepted Answer · 2018-02-14 13:32:35Z

5

This should work:

var ordered = col.OrderBy(x => x[0].Length).ToList();

Try it out here.

edited Feb 14, 2018 at 13:32

answered Feb 14, 2018 at 13:22

Camilo Terevinto

32.2k7 gold badges95 silver badges127 bronze badges

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

Comments

Dmitrii Bychenko · Accepted Answer · 2018-02-14 13:47:40Z

1

If you want to sort out existing col list (i.e. in place sorting):

col.Sort((left, right) = > left[0].Length.CompareTo(right[0].Length));

It's not Linq, however.

edited Feb 14, 2018 at 13:47

answered Feb 14, 2018 at 13:37

Dmitrii Bychenko

188k20 gold badges178 silver badges231 bronze badges

Comments

Stephen Kennedy · Accepted Answer · 2018-02-14 13:57:55Z

0

Order by the length of the first item in each member list:

var ordered = col.OrderBy(c => c.First().Length);

Fiddle

Or if it should be able to handle empty lists and nulls:

var ordered = col.OrderBy(c => c.FirstOrDefault()?.Length);

Fiddle

edited Feb 14, 2018 at 13:57

answered Feb 14, 2018 at 13:44

Stephen Kennedy

21.8k24 gold badges99 silver badges114 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Sorting an array of List<string> using linq

3 Answers 3

Comments

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

3 Answers 3

Comments

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related