sort list(of string()) using a variable index into string() as key - vb.net

Question

I have a List(of String()). I have written a custom comparer (implements IComparer(of string)) to do an alphanumeric sort.

Is there a way to sort the List using a given index to determine which position in the String() to sort by? In other words one time I might sort by Index = 0 and another time by Index = 3. The length of all String() in the list is the same.

For reference this question is similar to Sort List<String[]> except I am using VB.net and that question is hardwired to Index=0.

EDIT from OP's comments:

I started simple with the non custom comparer but I am getting an error: expression does not produce a value. Not sure what I am doing wrong. Here is the code:

Public Shared Function SortListOfStringArray(ByVal ListOfStringArray As List(Of String()), ByVal SortByIndex As Integer) As List(Of String())
    Return ListOfStringArray.Sort(Function(x, y) x(SortByIndex).CompareTo(y(SortByIndex)))
End Function

Guffa · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-30 16:46:34Z

3

To sort a list of string arrays on a specific index in the array, you use:

Dim index As Integer = 1
list.Sort(Function(x, y) x(index).CompareTo(y(index)))

Using a custom comparer that would be:

Dim index As Integer = 1
list.Sort(Function(x, y) comparer.Compare(x(index), y(index)))

answered May 30, 2012 at 16:46

Guffa

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3 Comments

tullynyguy Over a year ago

I started simple with the non custom comparer but I am getting an error: expression does not produce a value. Not sure what I am doing wrong. Here is the code: Public Shared Function SortListOfStringArray(ByVal ListOfStringArray As List(Of String()), ByVal SortByIndex As Integer) As List(Of String()) Return ListOfStringArray.Sort(Function(x, y) x(SortByIndex).CompareTo(y(SortByIndex))) End Function

tullynyguy Over a year ago

Sorry for the mess. I have no idea how to get a code block so the code looks clean. I'm relatively new to programming and first time posting to this site.

Guffa Over a year ago

@tullynyguy: The Sort method doesn't return anything. First sort the list, then return it. If you want to keep the original list and return a new list, you have to copy the list before sorting it.

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