Javascript Array Sort method is "random" (NOT STABLE) within sort

[szlamany]

The Javascript array sort method (at least in Firefox) is apparently random within the sort.

If I have an ARRAY of OBJECTS and I sort on a particular element in the object - one that has lots of duplicates - the original order is not maintained in the final sort.

It appears random - but after a couple of clicks to sort asc and desc it does come around - so there is a pattern.

Has anyone ever dealt with this - and come up with a real solution.

I'm thinking of doing some kind of "sub-sort" on the original ordinal position prior to sort - but don't want to re-invent the wheel so that say...

function sortArray(arrSort, e, args) {
    switch (e.cssClass || "") {
        case "acs-cell-money":
            arrSort.sort(sortNumber);
            break;
        case "acs-cell-number":
            arrSort.sort(sortNumber);
            break;
        case "acs-cell-date":
            arrSort.sort(sortDate);
            break;
        default:
            arrSort.sort(comparer);
            break;
    }
    if (!args.sortAsc) {
        arrSort.reverse();
    }
    for (var i = 0; i < arrSort.length; i++) {
        //alert(i);
        arrSort[i].acsSortBits = undefined;
    }
    arrSort.lastMultiSort = "";
}

function comparer(a, b) {
    var x = (a[sortcol.field] || "").toUpperCase();
    var y = (b[sortcol.field] || "").toUpperCase();
    return (x == y ? 0 : (x > y ? 1 : -1));
}