CustomSortArray()

Syntax

CustomSortArray(ArrayName(), @CompareProcedure() [, Options [, Start, End]])

Sorts the specified array, according to the given options using a custom procedure to compare array elements. The array may have a structure or one of basic type: byte, word, long, integer, string or float. Multi-dimensioned arrays are not supported.

Parameters

ArrayName()	The array to sort.
@CompareProcedure()	The address of a procedure to compare array elements. The procedure must have two parameters that will receive the memory address of the two elements to compare and return one of the following values: #PB_Sort_Greater: The first element is greater than the second one. #PB_Sort_Equal : Both elements are equal. #PB_Sort_Lesser : The first element is lesser than the second one. The compare procedure is called very often during the sorting process so it should do as little work as possible and be fast to execute.
Options (optional)	It can be a combination of the following values: #PB_Sort_Ascending : Sort the array in ascending order (lower values first). This is the default. #PB_Sort_Descending: Sort the array in descending order (higher values first)
Start, End (optional)	The index of the first and last element in the array that should be sorted. If these parameters are not specified, then the whole array is sorted.

Return value

None.

Example: Sort structured array

  Structure CustomStruct
    Value$
  EndStructure
  
  ; Sort by numeric value in the string element in the structure
  Procedure CustomCompare(*a.CustomStruct, *b.CustomStruct)
    If Val(*a\Value$) < Val(*b\Value$)
      ProcedureReturn #PB_Sort_Lesser
    ElseIf Val(*a\Value$) > Val(*b\Value$)
      ProcedureReturn #PB_Sort_Greater
    Else
      ProcedureReturn #PB_Sort_Equal
    EndIf
  EndProcedure
  
  Dim Test.CustomStruct(6)
  
  Test(0)\Value$ = "0005"
  Test(1)\Value$ = "2"
  Test(2)\Value$ = "42"
  Test(3)\Value$ = "7"
  Test(4)\Value$ = "23"
  Test(5)\Value$ = "100"
  Test(6)\Value$ = "101"
  
  CustomSortArray(Test(), @CustomCompare(), #PB_Sort_Ascending)
  
  For i = 0 To 6
    Debug Test(i)\Value$
  Next

Example: Sort basic type array

  ; Sort float elements by absolute value (ignoring the sign)
  Procedure AbsCompare(*a.Float, *b.Float)
    If Abs(*a\f) < Abs(*b\f)
      ProcedureReturn #PB_Sort_Lesser
    ElseIf Abs(*a\f) > Abs(*b\f)
      ProcedureReturn #PB_Sort_Greater
    Else
      ProcedureReturn #PB_Sort_Equal
    EndIf
  EndProcedure
  
  Dim Test.f(4)
  Test(0) = 2.5
  Test(1) = -3.0
  Test(2) = 0
  Test(3) = 12
  Test(4) = -100
  
  CustomSortArray(Test(), @AbsCompare())
  
  For i = 0 To 4
    Debug Test(i)
  Next

See Also

SortArray(), SortStructuredArray(), RandomizeArray()

Supported OS

All