Sort array of ints based on another array of ints

Question

Suppose I have two arrays, like this:

var SortedArray = [25, 123, 2464, 112, 54, 51, 347, 4572, 634];
var ArrayToSort = [634, 25, 51, 123];

SortedArray is an array that contains the order of many elements. ArrayToSort contains just some of the elements of SortedArray and every element in ArrayToSort is certain to also be in SortedArray.

What's the best way to sort ArrayToSort so that the elements in that array appear in the same order as SortedArray and get this result:

ArrayToSort = [25, 123, 51, 634];

p.s.w.g · Accepted Answer · 2014-02-16 22:41:42Z

6

Try this:

ArrayToSort.sort(function(x, y) {
    return SortedArray.indexOf(x) - SortedArray.indexOf(y);
});

Demonstration

Note: using this method, if an element does not appear in SortedArray, it will be placed before all other elements that are found in SortedArray.

answered Feb 16, 2014 at 22:41

p.s.w.g

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1 Comment

frenchie Over a year ago

Wow, all this in one line!! Nice answer!

Xotic750 · Accepted Answer · 2014-02-16 22:55:33Z

4

You could do this as an alternative to sorting as you already have a sorted array of elements.

var sortedArray = [25, 123, 2464, 112, 54, 51, 347, 4572, 634],
    arrayToSort = [634, 25, 51, 123],
    sorted = sortedArray.filter(function (num) {
        return arrayToSort.indexOf(num) !== -1;
    });

console.log(sorted);

Output

[25, 123, 51, 634]

On jsFiddle

edited Feb 16, 2014 at 22:55

answered Feb 16, 2014 at 22:42

Xotic750

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1 Comment

p.s.w.g Over a year ago

+1 I was about to add something like this as an alternative when your answer popped up.

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