IE9 javascript sort order ... why?

Question

I noticed IE9 sort order is changing elements order when comparison function returns 0.

See:

var myarray=[
    {id:1,val:0},
    {id:2,val:0},
    {id:3,val:7},
    {id:4,val:41}
];
myarray.sort(function(a,b){return a.val - b.val});

for(var i in myarray)
{
    console.log(myarray[i].id);
}

Current stable versions of Chrome, Firefox, Opera and Safari got the following output: 1 2 3 4.

Same output for IE7 and IE8.

IE9 output is: 2 1 3 4

Why? Is that normal?

Which version of IE9 are you using? It may be that a newer beta already changed this behavior. — Šime Vidas
– Šime Vidas, Commented Jan 24, 2011 at 14:11
Simply make it sort by value as a primary and sort it by id in the case of 0. — Raynos
– Raynos, Commented Jan 24, 2011 at 14:17
Are you sure it's the sort and not the for-in? A for-in doesn't guarantee any particular order, so it shouldn't be used against an Array. — user113716
– user113716, Commented Jan 24, 2011 at 14:17
@Tom Tu: Incorrect. In javascript an Array is a type of Object. As such, the rules of sequence when using a for-in are the same for an Array as for a plain Object. That is to say, there are no rules. It is completely implementation dependent. — user113716
– user113716, Commented Jan 24, 2011 at 15:05
...from ECMAScript 5, Section 12.6.4, The for-in Statement "The mechanics and order of enumerating the properties (step 6.a in the first algorithm, step 7.a in the second) is not specified." — user113716
– user113716, Commented Jan 24, 2011 at 15:09

Tim Down · Accepted Answer · 2011-01-24 14:22:49Z

4

Don't use for...in on an array if you're trying to iterate over the numeric properties, for two reasons:

You will also get methods and properties added to Array.prototype showing up;
The iteration order is defined in the ECMAScript spec as being implementation-dependent, meaning it could in theory be anything.

Both points also apply to Objects. Chrome in fact does not conform to the most common browser behaviour, leading to heated debate in a Chrome bug report.

answered Jan 24, 2011 at 14:22

Tim Down

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Comments

Matt · Accepted Answer · 2011-01-24 14:14:04Z

3

From MDC (emphasis mine):

If compareFunction(a, b) returns 0, leave a and b unchanged with respect to each other, but sorted with respect to all different elements. [Note: the ECMAscript standard does not guarantee this behaviour], and thus not all browsers (e.g. Mozilla versions dating back to at least 2003) respect this.

In my experience, only Chrome/Firefox get this right. Opera 11's behavior for me is .. not well defined.

E.g., using sort to move all zeroes to the top of the array:

[1, 0, 3, 0, 5, 0, 2].sort(function (a, b) { return b === 0 && 1 || 0;});

Chromium 10: [0, 0, 0, 1, 3, 5, 2]
Firefox 4: [0, 0, 0, 1, 3, 5, 2]
Opera 11: [0, 0, 0, 2, 1, 5, 3] <- does not maintain order of non-zeroes

edited Jan 24, 2011 at 14:14

answered Jan 24, 2011 at 14:10

Matt

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Comments

Justin Niessner · Accepted Answer · 2011-01-24 14:11:27Z

2

Based on your sort function, both of those elements are equal and it shouldn't matter which order they appear in. It is up to the browser to either leave the order as it is or switch the order as it sees appropriate...neither is a guarantee.

If the two aren't equal, then your sort function is incorrect and should take the other items into account as well.

answered Jan 24, 2011 at 14:11

Justin Niessner

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