Sort an array of object with a string name parameter containing a number

Question

I have to sort an array of objects with a number in the name of each objects. Example

const question = [{name:"Question 1 #1", content:"blabla?"}, {name:"Question 1 #3", content:"blabla?"}, {name:"Question 1 #4", content:"blabla?"}, {name:"Question 1 #2", content:"blabla?"}]

How can i ordered them by the number after the #?

Do you expect "Question 1#1" -> "Question 1#3" -> "Question 2#2" -> "Question 2#3" or instead "Question 1#1" -> "Question 2#2" -> "Question 1#3" -> "Question 2#4"? — VLAZ, Sep 27 '21 at 13:22
You need to use regex to get the number after the `#`, then it's a matter of sorting it using that number. — Terry, Sep 27 '21 at 13:22
@VLAZ I expect "Question 1#1" -> "Question 2#2" -> "Question 1#3" -> "Question 2#4" — Haine Thomas, Sep 27 '21 at 13:24
@Terry well, sounds like OP doesn't *need* to use a regex, if `.split()` is also an option. — VLAZ, Sep 27 '21 at 13:31
@VLAZ Again, that's one of the ways to get a number after the `#`. Not sure why people are being pedantic and reading unnecessarily between the lines of what isn't said. — Terry, Sep 27 '21 at 13:35
@Terry "need" implies it's a hard requirement. Therefore, what you said is that it cannot be done without regex. One of my pet peeves is throwing regex at anything string-related when there are simpler alternatives. — VLAZ, Sep 27 '21 at 13:38

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 27 '21 at 13:27

The simplest way:

function sortFunction( a, b ) {
  const aNumber = parseInt(a.name.split('#')[1]);
  const bNumber = parseInt(b.name.split('#')[1]);
  if ( aNumber < bNumber ){
    return -1;
  }
  if ( aNumber >bNumber ){
    return 1;
  }
  return 0;
}

const question = [{name:"Question 1 #3", content:"blabla?"}, {name:"Question 1 #4", content:"blabla?"}, {name:"Question 1 #1", content:"blabla?"}, {name:"Question 1 #2", content:"blabla?"}]

console.log(question.sort(sortFunction));

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 27 '21 at 13:32

Just split the name on # and access the number after that. Sort the array based on thiis number.

const question = [{name:"Question 1 #1", content:"blabla?"}, {name:"Question 1 #3", content:"blabla?"}, {name:"Question 1 #4", content:"blabla?"}, {name:"Question 1 #2", content:"blabla?"}]
const getNumeric = (name) => Number(name.split('#')[1]?.trim() || 0);
const sortedQuestion = question.sort((a, b) => getNumeric(a.name) > getNumeric(b.name) ? 1 : getNumeric(a.name) === getNumeric(b.name) ? 0 : -1);
console.log(sortedQuestion);

Sort an array of object with a string name parameter containing a number

2 Answers2