Sort an array of objects based on first word

Question

I'd like to be able to sort an array an array of objects in JavaScript based on the first word in the string. Currently the sort function I'm using uses all words in the string.

JSON data:

"awds": [
    {"awd":"adobe edge award"},
    {"awd":"besty"},
    {"awd":"c award"},
    {"awd":"awwward award"},
    {"awd":"desk award"},
    {"awd":"adobe edge award"},
    {"awd":"creative edge award"},
    {"awd":"snoogle edge award"},
    {"awd":"scuba edge award"},
    {"awd":"xidoe edge award"}
]

JavaScript:

var compareNames = function(a, b) {
    var nameA = a.awd.toLowerCase();
    var nameB = b.awd.toLowerCase();
    if (nameA > nameB) { return 1; }
    return 0;
};

Current Output:

adobe edge award
besty
c award
awwward award
desk award
adobe edge award
creative edge award
snoogle edge award
scuba edge award
xidoe edge award

Desired Output:

adobe edge award
adobe edge award
awwward award
c award
creative edge award
scuba edge award
snoogle edge award
xidoe edge award

It doesn't work at all!

gdoron
– gdoron

2013-02-11 17:39:00 +00:00
Commented Feb 11, 2013 at 17:39 — gdoron
– gdoron, Commented Feb 11, 2013 at 17:39
How about using the substring function?

codemonkey
– codemonkey

2013-02-11 17:40:09 +00:00
Commented Feb 11, 2013 at 17:40 — codemonkey
– codemonkey, Commented Feb 11, 2013 at 17:40

Jashwant · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-11 17:50:06Z

1

var o = [
    {"awd":"adobe edge award"},
    {"awd":"besty"},
    {"awd":"c award"},
    {"awd":"awwward award"},
    {"awd":"desk award"},
    {"awd":"adobe edge award"},
    {"awd":"creative edge award"},
    {"awd":"snoogle edge award"},
    {"awd":"scuba edge award"},
    {"awd":"xidoe edge award"}
];

o.sort(function(a, b) {
    var nameA = a.awd.toLowerCase();
    var nameB = b.awd.toLowerCase(); 
    if(nameA === nameB) return 0; 
    return nameA > nameB ? 1 : -1;
});

console.log(o);

Demo

answered Feb 11, 2013 at 17:50

Jashwant

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Comments

marekful · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-11 17:39:21Z

1

You can use Array.sort with compare function. See https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Array/sort

answered Feb 11, 2013 at 17:39

marekful

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2 Comments

vsiege Over a year ago

Thats exactly what I'm using and the output is not what I want. content.awds.sort(compareNames);

marekful Over a year ago

Rigth, the other answer given meanwhile points out your mistake. You need to return not just 1 or 0 but -1 too. (0 for equal)

Salman Arshad · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-11 17:50:05Z

1

The sort callback should return negative, 0, positive number depending on whether argument 1 is less than, equal to, or greater than argument 2
Sorting is done on the original so you do not have to "assign" the result
You can use regex to extract the first word (I don't see why you want to sort that way)

awds.sort(function (a, b) {
    var aword = a.awd.toLowerCase().match(/[^ ]+/)[0];
    var bword = b.awd.toLowerCase().match(/[^ ]+/)[0];
    return aword == bword ? 0 : (aword < bword ? -1 : 1);
});

edited Feb 11, 2013 at 17:50

answered Feb 11, 2013 at 17:45

Salman Arshad

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Comments

kennebec · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-11 17:41:51Z

0

Your method will work if you return -1 when the first item is not greater than the second-

   var compareNames = function(a, b) {    
    var nameA = a.awd.toLowerCase();
    var nameB = b.awd.toLowerCase();
    if(nameA==nameB) return 0;
    return (nameA > nameB)? 1:-1; 
};

answered Feb 11, 2013 at 17:41

kennebec

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1 Comment

vsiege Over a year ago

I still get the same output when I use the above: var tempList=content.awds.sort(compareNames); for (var i= 0,lgh=tempList.length;i<lgh;i++){ console.log('awd4 = ' + tempList[i].awd ); }

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