How do I sort a list by value in python?

Question

I have gotten python to read a file and add the content into a list ('batman, 10', 'Iphone,900') but can't figure out how to make it sort it out so batman, 10 will be first as its number is lower and not because of its name. How can I do this?

Are you actually using a list? Or are you using a dictionary? — RangerRanger, Nov 18 '18 at 17:04

Jean-François Fabre · Answer 1 · 2018-11-18T19:25:17.600

0

you want a special key which splits the string, converts the second part to integer to pass to sort

the_tuple = ('batman, 10', 'Iphone,900')

result = sorted(the_tuple, key = lambda x : int(x.split(",")[1]))

You can add a tiebreaker if needed in case of a same number/different name. In that case I'd avoid lambda as it makes split repeat:

the_tuple = ('robin, 10', 'batman, 10', 'Iphone,900')

def sort_function(x):
    name,number = x.split(",")
    return int(number),name

result = sorted(the_tuple, key = sort_function)

result:

['batman, 10', 'robin, 10', 'Iphone,900']

to sort by biggest number, just add reverse=True to sort (that also reverses the tiebreaker so another option is to do return -int(number),name (negate the number)

edited Nov 18 '18 at 19:25

answered Nov 18 '18 at 16:12

Jean-François Fabre

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Thanks it worked but how do I make it so it does the biggest number? – Batman Nov 18 '18 at 18:53
edit to show the possibilities – Jean-François Fabre Nov 18 '18 at 20:57

How do I sort a list by value in python?

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