SortArray ( valueList ; sortDirection ; dataType )

Sort an array (text, number, date or time ) ascending or descending

Average rating: 3.7 (53 votes) Log in to vote

Mogens Brun - Show more from this author
FM Integrator
http://filemakerintegrator.dk

Sample input:

lorem
ipsum
dolor
sit
amet
consectetuer
adipiscing
elit

Sample output:

adipiscing
amet
consectetuer
dolor
elit
ipsum
lorem
sit

Function definition: (Copy & paste into FileMaker's Edit Custom Function window)

// Sort an array of text, number, date or time values
// Version: 1.01
// Parameters: "valueList" = array to be sorted. "sortDirection" = [ "Asc" ; "Des" ] for ascending og descending sort. "dataType" = [ "Text" ; "Number ; " Date" ; "Time" ] where "Text" is default.
// Method: Sorting is done by "merge sort" (rf. Wikipedia)
// Credit: Originally implemented in FileMaker custom function by Shaun Flisakowski Marts 2004 (www.clevelandconsulting.com). Theo Ros made another implementation (www.briandunning.com).
// NOTE 1: Requires SortArray_Merge ( leftList ; rightList ; sortDirection ; dataType )
// NOTE 2: Don't try to define any variable in last instruction (SortArray_Merge (Sort...) as local or global (using "$..." og "$$..."), because the custom function then will fail (probably a bug in FileMaker 8.5).
// 05nov06 ; Mogens Brun ; FM Integrator ; mogens_brun@mac.com. Added ascending/descending sort and choice of 4 data types
// Mail to mogens_brun@mac.com if you want a demo file.

Let ( 
       $ListSize = ValueCount ( valueList )
       ; 
       If ( $ListSize ≤ 1 ;
             valueList ; 
             Let( [
                      $SplitPoint = Div ( $ListSize ; 2 ) ; 
                      LeftList = LeftValues ( valueList ; $SplitPoint ) ; 
                      RightList = RightValues ( valueList ; $ListSize - $SplitPoint )
              ] ; 
             SortArray_Merge ( SortArray( LeftList ; sortDirection ; dataType ) ; SortArray ( RightList ; sortDirection ; dataType ) ; sortDirection ; dataType )
         ) 
     ) 
)

Sort an array of either text, number, date or time values ascending or descending using the sort merge method (originally implemented for custom functions by Shaun Flisakowski and later by Theo Ros). The method is descriped in Wikipedia under "Merge sort".

Performance on a 1,66 GHz Mac Intel Core Duo: 50 word array: 60 msec. 100 word array: 150 msec. 500 word array : 1,1 sec. Sorting of dates are 30% faster.

20-25 times faster sorting of text arrays may be obtained using Troi Text Plug-in.

Comments

		Richard DeShong, Logic Tools Jun 7, 2023
Thank you, Mogens, for this merge-sort version. I was using a recursive bubble-sort, which worked great for short list (almost all of my uses were under 100 values). But I tried that version on a larger list (about 4000), and it would return just a question mark. My guess was that there were too many recursions. But with this merge-sort version, it worked fine, even for about 4000 values.

Note: these functions are not guaranteed or supported by BrianDunning.com. Please contact the individual developer with any questions or problems.

SortArray ( valueList ; sortDirection ; dataType )

Comments

Support this website.

Support this website.