Array Sorting

Cameron

Hi Guys,

Does anyone know the best way, with NetLinx, to sort an Array? For example;

Sort[] = {'aaa','adc','abb','aab','acc'} = {'aaa','aab','abb','acc','adc'}
OR
Sort[] = {1,5,3,4} = {1,3,4,5}

I could attempt to write it but my life would be easier if someone has already written it

Thanks,

C

Cameron

Got it, just need to change the sort order - here is a sample for anyone else;

DEFINE_FUNCTION fnSortAddressBook()
{
	STACK_VAR INTEGER 	nSwapped
	STACK_VAR INTEGER 	nCount
	STACK_VAR CHAR		cTempName[50]
	STACK_VAR CHAR		cTempAddress[50]

	nSwapped = TRUE

	WHILE(nSwapped = TRUE)
	{			
		nSwapped = FALSE

		FOR(nCount = 2; nCount <= nAddressBookEntries; nCount++) // This is = to 2 as we have no 0 in NetLinx arrays
		{
			IF(cAddressBookNames[nCount - 1] > cAddressBookNames[nCount])
			{
				cTempName = cAddressBookNames[nCount]
				cTempAddress = cAddressBookAddresses[nCount]

				cAddressBookNames[nCount] = cAddressBookNames[nCount - 1]
				cAddressBookNames[nCount - 1] = cTempName

				cAddressBookAddresses[nCount] = cAddressBookAddresses[nCount - 1]
				cAddressBookAddresses[nCount - 1] = cTempAddress

				nSwapped = TRUE
			}
		}
	}
}

mighe

It is not a good idea reinventing a sorting algorithm.
An efficient sorting algorithm can solve the problem in N logN time and a simple one can solve it N^2.
Your nRunCount variable seems to says 'I'm reinventing the wheel. The square wheel'.

You can easily implement a selection sort or an insertion sort if you can accept a quadratic execution time, otherwise a merge sort or a quicksort.

Usually in netlinx we have small arrays (length << 1000), so one of the first two algorithms is enough and very very simple to implement

ijed

this seems appropriate:

http://xkcd.com/1185/

Kim has handy functions on his github - array.axi has a quicksort algorithm you could adapt for multi-dimensional arrays:

https://github.com/KimBurgess/netlinx-common-libraries