JavaScripting .sort()'ing a Multidimensional Array of Scores to Order the Player Names

Question

I understand the JS .sort() function well enough, and I have a loose grasp on multidimensional arrays, but I'm a little stuck. Here's what I've got:

var player1 = ["bob", 20];
var player2 = ["jon", 40];
var player3 = ["tim", 10];
var scores = [player1[1], player2[1], player3[1]];

scores.sort(sortfunc);

function sortfunc(a,b){
  return a - b;
}

alert(scores);

Obviously this sorts the scores correctly, but what I want is to order the player names appropriately in the alert() based on their score, e.g. tim, bob, jon. I'm not necessarily looking for someone to post the answer straight-up, but a little hint in the right direction wouldn't hurt!

Also, is there a better (i.e. cleaner, simpler, what have you) way of doing this with jQuery? I know it doesn't particularly matter, but I'm just wondering what it would look like in jQuery, too.

Thank you for reading.

Let me clarify: you'd like to sort the players along with the names right? — Andreas Wong
– Andreas Wong, Commented Apr 9, 2012 at 3:49
I suppose sorting the players would work as well, yes. I just want to be able to order the names properly with who is in first, second, third, etc., no matter how it's accomplished. — daveycroqet
– daveycroqet, Commented Apr 9, 2012 at 3:51
I've added an answer, please see if that fits your requirements :) — Andreas Wong
– Andreas Wong, Commented Apr 9, 2012 at 3:51
Instead of using jQuery to do this you might want to take a look at underscore.js it has a bunch of neat functions to deal with javascript's built in data structures as well as some functional helpers. heres the sortBy documentation — Greg Guida
– Greg Guida, Commented Apr 9, 2012 at 3:57

Andreas Wong · Accepted Answer · 2012-04-09 03:50:26Z

4

Pass in the whole array in scores and your sortFunc extract the first element:

http://jsfiddle.net/PS2wS/

var player1 = ["bob", 20];
var player2 = ["jon", 40];
var player3 = ["tim", 10];
var scores = [player1, player2, player3];

scores.sort(sortfunc);

function sortfunc(a,b){
  return a[1] - b[1];
}

answered Apr 9, 2012 at 3:50

Andreas Wong

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3 Comments

daveycroqet Over a year ago

That is absolutely what I wanted. I see what you did by passing the entire array and then sorting just by the score. Unfortunately, I utterly fail to understand why passing the entire array works the way it does, so I guess my grasp on multidimensional arrays is tenuous at best. Regardless, thank you for solving it.

daveycroqet Over a year ago

I'll be awarding you the answer in 3 minutes when it allows me. =)

Andreas Wong Over a year ago

@daveycroqet the callback in the first argument of sort() takes two parameter, which is the direct first level members of the array sort() is called upon. So in my answer, a and b would be player1, player2 and player3. We are telling it how to return the order by doing a substraction of the first element of playerX, which is the score.

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