CFLib.org – Common Function Library Project

Description:
This function takes an array of structures and the name of a key in the structures and returns a new array of structures sorted by the key.

Return Values:
Returns a sorted array.

Example:

<cfscript>
    a = arraynew(1);
    a[1] = structnew();
    a[1].name = "Dintenfass";
    a[1].number = 420;
    a[2] = structnew();
    a[2].name = "Archibald";
    a[2].number = 999;    
    a[3] = structnew();
    a[3].name = "Camden";
    a[3].number = 123;
</cfscript>

UNSORTED:
<cfdump var="#a#">
SORTED BY NAME:
<cfdump var="#arrayOfStructsSort(a,"name")#">    
SORTED BY NUMBER DESCENDING
<cfdump var="#arrayOfStructsSort(a,"number","desc","numeric")#">

Parameters:

Full UDF Source:

/**
 * Sorts an array of structures based on a key in the structures.
 * 
 * @param aofS      Array of structures. (Required)
 * @param key      Key to sort by. (Required)
 * @param sortOrder      Order to sort by, asc or desc. (Optional)
 * @param sortType      Text, textnocase, or numeric. (Optional)
 * @param delim      Delimiter used for temporary data storage. Must not exist in data. Defaults to a period. (Optional)
 * @return Returns a sorted array. 
 * @author Nathan Dintenfass (nathan@changemedia.com) 
 * @version 1, April 4, 2013 
 */
function arrayOfStructsSort(aOfS,key){
        //by default we'll use an ascending sort
        var sortOrder = "asc";        
        //by default, we'll use a textnocase sort
        var sortType = "textnocase";
        //by default, use ascii character 30 as the delim
        var delim = ".";
        //make an array to hold the sort stuff
        var sortArray = arraynew(1);
        //make an array to return
        var returnArray = arraynew(1);
        //grab the number of elements in the array (used in the loops)
        var count = arrayLen(aOfS);
        //make a variable to use in the loop
        var ii = 1;
        //if there is a 3rd argument, set the sortOrder
        if(arraylen(arguments) GT 2)
            sortOrder = arguments[3];
        //if there is a 4th argument, set the sortType
        if(arraylen(arguments) GT 3)
            sortType = arguments[4];
        //if there is a 5th argument, set the delim
        if(arraylen(arguments) GT 4)
            delim = arguments[5];
        //loop over the array of structs, building the sortArray
        for(ii = 1; ii lte count; ii = ii + 1)
            sortArray[ii] = aOfS[ii][key] & delim & ii;
        //now sort the array
        arraySort(sortArray,sortType,sortOrder);
        //now build the return array
        for(ii = 1; ii lte count; ii = ii + 1)
            returnArray[ii] = aOfS[listLast(sortArray[ii],delim)];
        //return the array
        return returnArray;
}