<Array>.Sort (Function)

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Examples of custom sorting procedures

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<Array>.Sort (Function)

In french: <Tableau>.Trie

Sorts a WLanguage array. The following sorts can be performed:

Sort a one-dimensional array of simple elements.
Sort a two-dimensional array of simple elements according to one or more columns.
Sort a one-dimensional array of classes or structures according to 1 or more members.
Sort an array of records according to 1 or more items.
Sort a one-dimensional array by specifying a comparison procedure.

Example

// Sort a one-dimensional array
MyArray is array of 2 int
MyArray[1] = 4
MyArray[2] = 1
MyArray.Sort(asAscending)
Trace(MyArray[1], MyArray[2])
// Displays "1" then "4"

// Sort a two-dimensional array on the 2nd column
MyArray.Sort(asAscending, 2)

// Sort a two-dimensional array on the 2nd column
// (ascending) and the 3rd column (descending)
MyArray.Sort(asAscending, "2;-3")

// Sort an array by using a comparison procedure
MyArray.Sort(asFunction, Compare)

// Comparison procedure
INTERNAL PROCEDURE Compare(Element1, Element2)
IF Element1.Member < Element2.Member THEN RESULT -1
IF Element1.Member > Element2.Member THEN RESULT 1
RESULT 0

Syntax

Sort a one-dimensional array of simple elements Hide the details

<WLanguage array>.Sort([<Type of sort>])

<WLanguage array>: Array

Name of the Array variable to use. This array must be a one-dimensional array.
This array can also correspond to an array of simple elements of an advanced variable ("Group" array in the gglContact variables for example).
Name of the Associative Array variable to use.
The associative arrays cannot be sorted in this version.

<Type of sort>: Optional integer constant

Type of sort to perform:
asAscending
(Default value) Ascending sort.
For an associative array: Sorting the elements of associative array:
if the asKey constant is specified: The sort is performed in ascending order according to the keys. In case of equality between two keys, the values are sorted according to the ascending value if the values can be compared. If the values cannot be compared, the initial order is kept.
if the asKey constant is not specified: The sort is performed in ascending order according to the values. In case of equality between two values, the values are sorted according to the ascending key.
asDescending Descending sort.
For an associative array: Sorting the elements of associative array:
if the asKey constant is specified: The sort is performed in descending order according to the keys. In case of equality between two keys, the values are sorted according to the descending value if the values can be compared. If the values cannot be compared, the initial order is kept.
if the asKey constant is not specified: The sort is performed in descending order according to the values. In case of equality between two values, the values are sorted according to the descending key.

The sort type can be combined with one or more sort options:
asKey Associative array sorted according to the key order. If this constant is not specified, the associative array is sorted according to the order of values.
This function is useful on the associative arrays only.
tccIgnoreAccent Array sorted while ignoring the accented characters.
This option is useful for arrays of strings.
This constant is not available.
tccIgnoreCase Array sorted while ignoring the case.
This option is useful for the arrays of character strings.
tccIgnoreInsideSpace Array sorted while ignoring the space characters found inside the strings.
This option is useful for the arrays of character strings.
tccIgnorePonctuationAndSpace Array sorted while ignoring the space characters and the punctuation characters.
This option is useful for arrays of strings.
This constant is not available.
tccIgnoreSpace Array sorted while ignoring the space characters found at the beginning and at the end of strings.
This option is useful for the arrays of character strings.
tccLexicographicOrder Array sorted according to the linguistic order.
This option is useful for arrays of strings.
This constant is not available.
tccRespectNumeric Array sorted according to the order of numeric values.
This option is useful for arrays of strings.
This constant is not available.

The constants used to specify the sort options are not available.

Sort a two-dimensional array of simple elements according to one column Hide the details

<WLanguage array>.Sort([<Type of sort>, ] <Column>)

<WLanguage array>: Array

Name of the Array variable to use. This array must be a two-dimensional array.
This array can also correspond to a two-dimensional array of an advanced type (sort an xlsDocument variable according to the values of a column for example).

<Type of sort>: Optional integer constant

Type of sort to perform:
asAscending
(Default value) Ascending sort
asDescending Descending sort

The sort type can be combined with one or more sort options:
tccIgnoreAccent Array sorted while ignoring the accented characters.
This option is useful for arrays of strings.
This constant is not available.
tccIgnoreCase Array sorted while ignoring the case.
This option is useful for the arrays of character strings.
tccIgnoreInsideSpace Array sorted while ignoring the space characters found inside the strings.
This option is useful for the arrays of character strings.
tccIgnorePonctuationAndSpace Array sorted while ignoring the space characters and the punctuation characters.
This option is useful for arrays of strings.
This constant is not available.
tccIgnoreSpace Array sorted while ignoring the space characters found at the beginning and at the end of strings.
This option is useful for the arrays of character strings.
tccLexicographicOrder Array sorted according to the linguistic order.
This option is useful for arrays of strings.
This constant is not available.
tccRespectNumeric Array sorted according to the order of numeric values.
This option is useful for arrays of strings.
This constant is not available.

The constants used to specify the sort options are not available.
This parameter must be specified.

<Column>: Integer

Index of column where the sort will be performed.

Sort a two-dimensional array of simple elements according to several columns Hide the details

<WLanguage array>.Sort(<asColumn> , <Columns>)

<WLanguage array>: Array

Name of the Array variable to use. This array must be a two-dimensional array.
This array can also correspond to a two-dimensional array of an advanced type (sort performed on a variable of type xlsDocument according to the values of one or more columns for example).

<asColumn>: Constant

asColumn: Constant used to sort a two-dimensional array of simple elements according to several columns.
The asColumn constant can be combined with one or more sort options:
tccIgnoreAccent Array sorted while ignoring the accented characters.
This option is applied to all the columns on which the sort is performed.
This option is useful for arrays of strings.
This constant is not available.
tccIgnoreCase Array sorted while ignoring the case.
This option is applied to all the columns on which the sort is performed.
This option is useful for the arrays of character strings.
tccIgnoreInsideSpace Array sorted while ignoring the space characters found inside the strings.
This option is applied to all the columns on which the sort is performed.
This option is useful for the arrays of character strings.
tccIgnorePonctuationAndSpace Array sorted while ignoring the space characters and the punctuation characters.
This option is applied to all the columns on which the sort is performed.
This option is useful for arrays of strings.
This constant is not available.
tccIgnoreSpace Array sorted while ignoring the space characters found at the beginning and at the end of strings.
This option is applied to all the columns on which the sort is performed.
This option is useful for the arrays of character strings.
tccLexicographicOrder Array sorted according to the linguistic order.
This option is applied to all the columns on which the sort is performed.
This option is useful for arrays of strings.
This constant is not available.
tccRespectNumeric Array sorted according to the order of numeric values.
This option is applied to all the columns on which the sort is performed.
This option is useful for arrays of strings.
This constant is not available.

The constants used to specify the sort options are not available.

<Columns>: Character string

List of columns in which the sort must be performed. The different columns must be separated by a semicolon. To specify the sort direction, the subscript of the column must be preceded by:
"+" (or nothing) for an ascending sort.
"-" for a descending sort.
For example: "2,-3" to perform an ascending sort on the second column and a descending sort on the third column.

Sort a one-dimensional array of classes, structures or records Hide the details

<WLanguage array>.Sort(<asMember> , <Members>)

<WLanguage array>: Array

Name of the Array variable to use. This array must be a one-dimensional array. This array can be:
an array of classes,
an array of structures,
an array of advanced types,
an array of records.
Name of the Associative Array variable to use. This array can be:
an associative array of classes,
an associative array of structures,
an associative array of advanced types,
The associative arrays cannot be sorted in this version.
an associative array of records.

<asMember>: Constant

asMember: Constant used to sort a one-dimensional array of classes, structures or records.
For an associative array: The elements of the associative array are sorted according to the order of values for the specified members. In case of equality between two values, the values are sorted according to the ascending or descending key (according to the sort direction of the first member).
The asMember constant can be combined with one or more sort options:
tccIgnoreAccent Array sorted while ignoring the accented characters.
This options is applied to all the members on which the sort is performed.
This option is useful for the "character string" members.
This constant is not available.
tccIgnoreCase Array sorted while ignoring the case.
This options is applied to all the members on which the sort is performed.
This option is useful for the "character string" members.
tccIgnoreInsideSpace Array sorted while ignoring the space characters found inside the strings.
This options is applied to all the members on which the sort is performed.
This option is useful for the "character string" members.
tccIgnorePonctuationAndSpace Array sorted while ignoring the space characters and the punctuation characters.
This options is applied to all the members on which the sort is performed.
This option is useful for the "character string" members.
This constant is not available.
tccIgnoreSpace Array sorted while ignoring the space characters found at the beginning and at the end of strings.
This options is applied to all the members on which the sort is performed.
This option is useful for the "character string" members.
tccLexicographicOrder Array sorted according to the linguistic order.
This options is applied to all the members on which the sort is performed.
This option is useful for the "character string" members.
This constant is not available.
tccRespectNumeric Array sorted according to the order of numeric values.
This options is applied to all the members on which the sort is performed.
This option is useful for the "character string" members.
This constant is not available.

The constants used to specify the sort options are not available.

<Members>: Character string

Name of members used as sort criteria. If the sort is performed on several members, their names must be separated by a semicolon. To specify the sort direction, the member name must be preceded by:
"+" (or nothing) for an ascending sort.
"-" for a descending sort.
"." or ":" to perform a sort on chained properties.
For example:
- "Member1;-Member3" to perform an ascending sort on the Member1 member and a descending sort on the Member3 member.
- "Source.URL" to perform a sort on the URL property of the Source property.
Sorting an array of records: Name of items used as sort criteria.

Sort a one-dimensional array with a sort procedure Hide the details

<WLanguage array>.Sort(<asFunction> , <WLanguage sorting procedure>)

<WLanguage array>: Array

Name of the Array variable to use. This array must be a one-dimensional array. This array can be an array of advanced types.
Name of the Associative Array variable to use.
The associative arrays cannot be sorted in this version.

<asFunction>: Constant

asFunction: Constant used to sort a one-dimensional array with a sort procedure.

<WLanguage sorting procedure>: Procedure name

Name of the procedure used to sort the array elements.
For a one-dimensional array: WLanguage procedure in the following format:
PROCEDURE MyProcedure(Element1, Element2)

This procedure is automatically called by the sort mechanism to compare the elements between themselves, two by two.
If the element 1 must be found before the element 2 in the sort order, the procedure must return -1.
If the element 1 must be found after the element 2 in the sort order, the procedure must return 1.
If element 1 and element 2 are identical, the procedure must return 0.
For an associative array: WLanguage procedure in the following format:
PROCEDURE MyProcedure(Value1, Key1, Value2, Key2)

This procedure is automatically called by the sort mechanism to compare the elements between themselves, two by two. The comparison can be performed in the sort procedure according to the values or according to the keys.
If the element 1 must be found before the element 2 in the sort order, the procedure must return -1.
If the element 1 must be found after the element 2 in the sort order, the procedure must return 1.
If element 1 and element 2 are identical, the procedure must return 0.

Remarks

Miscellaneous

This function cannot be used with the fixed arrays.
Dynamic array of variants: Only a custom sort (with a sort procedure) can be used.
This function cannot be used with the arrays of UNICODE strings.
To add an element into a sorted array, use <Array>.AddSorted.
This function can be used on the arrays of advanced variables.
This function is available for the associative arrays.
This feature is not available.

Examples of custom sorting procedures

Example of procedure used to compare 2 integers:

PROCEDURE MyProcedure(nInt1, nInt2)
IF nInt1 > nInt2 THEN RESULT 1
IF nInt1 < nInt2 THEN RESULT -1
RESULT 0

Example of a procedure used to compare two elements in an array of structures:

PROCEDURE MyProcedure(stVar1, stVar2)
IF stVar1:nInt > stVar2:nInt THEN RESULT 1
IF stVar1:nInt < stVar2:nInt THEN RESULT -1
RESULT 0

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