Sorting array

[duckax]

What is the simplest way to sort items in an array in alphabetical order?

[jim mcnamara]

With a ListBox List1.Sorted=True List1.Visible = False

Dim i,j

   For i = 0 to Ubound(arr)
         List1.AddItem arr(i)
   next 
   for i = 0 to List1.ListCount - 1
        arr(i) = List1.List(i)
   next

Works for up to 32767 elements.

[filburt1]

That's simple but slow with larger (>1000) arrays. There's bubble sort, selection sort, the all-powerful and speedy merge sort.... But if you only have a few dozen elements, then the linear sort (what Jim suggested) is fine.

[mdake]

For smaller arrays here is a fairly simple way

Dim arrNames(5) As String

Private Sub Command1_Click()
    For i = 0 To 4
        MsgBox "Names before sort....  " & vbCrLf & arrNames(i)
    Next i
    
    SortStringArray arrNames(), True, False
    
    For i = 0 To 4
        MsgBox "Names after sort....  " & vbCrLf & arrNames(i)
    Next i
End Sub

Private Sub Form_Load()
    arrNames(0) = "Steven"
    arrNames(1) = "John"
    arrNames(2) = "Mark"
    arrNames(3) = "Rob"
    arrNames(4) = "Chuck"
End Sub
Public Sub SortStringArray(MyArray() As String, _
                                  Optional ByVal bAscending As Boolean = True, _
                                  Optional ByVal bCaseSensitive As Boolean = False)

    Dim lMin            As Long
    Dim lMax            As Long
    Dim lOrder          As Long
    Dim lCompareType    As Long

    lMin = LBound(MyArray)
    lMax = UBound(MyArray) - 1
    
    If lMin = lMax Then
        Exit Sub
    End If
    
    ' Set Asc or Dsc Order
    lOrder = IIf(bAscending, 1, -1)
    
    ' Set Case Sensitive
    lCompareType = IIf(bCaseSensitive, vbBinaryCompare, vbTextCompare)
    
    Dim sValue  As String
    Dim lCnt1 As Long
    Dim lCnt2 As Long
    
    ' Loop through array move elements down to their correct place
    For lCount1 = lMin + 1 To lMax
        sValue = MyArray(lCount1)
        
        ' Find the place to put it
        For lCount2 = lCount1 - 1 To lMin Step -1
            If StrComp(MyArray(lCount2), sValue, lCompareType) <> lOrder Then
                Exit For
            End If
            MyArray(lCount2 + 1) = MyArray(lCount2)
        Next lCount2
        
        ' Insert it
        MyArray(lCount2 + 1) = sValue
    Next
    
    End Sub

Of course for large arrays you would want something faster.

[DNA7433]

what ever happened to the best there ever was and still is....quick sort?

[filburt1]

I think I've heard of it, but that it is only really speedy the larger the array. Can you give us a pseudocode algorithm for how it works again?

[mdake]

Here is an example of Quick Sort, courtesy of the VB2TheMax site

http://www.vb2themax.com/Item.asp?PageID=CodeBank&ID=77

[filburt1]

FYI, you can't click on his link, but mine works http://www.vb2themax.com/Item.asp?PageID=CodeBank&ID=77

[mdake]

Here is an excellent article from one of the true masters of VB,
Francesco Balena
It shows many different sorting methods.

http://www.vb2themax.com/HtmlDoc.asp...Articles&ID=10

I could click on the link in previous mention from myself?????

[filburt1]

This last one is screwed up too. It tries to open http:/// which obviously doesn't exist. If you're using the [ url ] and [ /url ] tags, don't.

[mdake]

Oops, sorry
I pasted the link into the Text part, my mistake