How to sort a List of Non-Generic Data?
Hi Experts!
I have a structure that I make a list of to contain basic inventory stuff. It looks a lot like this:
...and I'm really digging the List (of T) feature in VB.Net to allow me to more cleanly deal with my arrays of Inventory Parts:
To add a "row" of data to this List is really pretty simple:
...now, I have a need to sort this list, but the default List.Sort() fails because it's trying to compare two structs, and has no default method for this. All of the examples I keep running into are for "Generic" data, which almost always refers to a list (Of String) or a list (Of Integer) - neither of which apply here. I've been studying Lambda functions, but nothing I attempt seems to meet with anything other than an error condition.
If my input data looks like this:
...I need to be able to sort it (on PartDescription) to look like this:
...maybe later I might need to sort it (on PartNumber), but that is obviously a string, too, so the same [sort] function might apply, only to a different "field" value (PartNUmber) instead of (PartDescription).
Does anybody know how this may be achieved? I'm fairly certain that it's something small that I'm overlooking - I can't shake the feeling that this should be pretty simple.
Thanks for your assistance!
- The Lurking LongFist
I have a structure that I make a list of to contain basic inventory stuff. It looks a lot like this:
Public Structure inventoryPartInfo
Dim partNumber As String
Dim partDescription As String
End Structure...and I'm really digging the List (of T) feature in VB.Net to allow me to more cleanly deal with my arrays of Inventory Parts:
Dim microController As New List(Of inventoryPartInfo)To add a "row" of data to this List is really pretty simple:
Dim newControl As New inventoryPartInfo
newControl.PartNumber = "11435-AC-AB-X"
newControl.PartDescription = "Cirrus Dual-Band Gate"
microController.Add (newControl)
newControl = Nothing...now, I have a need to sort this list, but the default List.Sort() fails because it's trying to compare two structs, and has no default method for this. All of the examples I keep running into are for "Generic" data, which almost always refers to a list (Of String) or a list (Of Integer) - neither of which apply here. I've been studying Lambda functions, but nothing I attempt seems to meet with anything other than an error condition.
If my input data looks like this:
11435-AC-AB-X Cirrus Dual-Band Gate
23907-FX-BA-W Rabbit Data Manifold
21340-TF-AB-A Drax Ring Buffer
54384-FX-BA-A Prillex Transfer Enhancer...I need to be able to sort it (on PartDescription) to look like this:
11435-AC-AB-X Cirrus Dual-Band Gate
21340-TF-AB-A Drax Ring Buffer
54384-FX-BA-A Prillex Transfer Enhancer
23907-FX-BA-W Rabbit Data Manifold...maybe later I might need to sort it (on PartNumber), but that is obviously a string, too, so the same [sort] function might apply, only to a different "field" value (PartNUmber) instead of (PartDescription).
Does anybody know how this may be achieved? I'm fairly certain that it's something small that I'm overlooking - I can't shake the feeling that this should be pretty simple.
Thanks for your assistance!
- The Lurking LongFist
Implement IComparer interface:
use like this:
microController.Sort(New CompInventoryPartNumber)
Public Class CompInventoryPartNumber
Implements IComparer(Of inventoryPartInfo)
Public Function Compare(x As inventoryPartInfo, y As inventoryPartInfo) As Integer Implements System.Collections.Generic.IComparer(Of inventoryPartInfo).Compare
Return String.Compare(x.partNumber, y.partNumber)
End Function
End Classuse like this:
microController.Sort(New CompInventoryPartNumber)
This is a bit off topic, but...
Rather than just using a plain structure, use a class. Then you can override methods such asIs there something I don't know about which prevents one from overriding methods in a struct?
Public Structure inventoryPartInfo
Dim partNumber As String
Dim partDescription As String
Public Overrides Function ToString() As String
Return "Hello World!"
End Function
End StructureASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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Except that with IComparer, it's easy to have multiple sort types... One for part number one for description.
Public Class CompInventoryPartDescription
Implements IComparer(Of inventoryPartInfo)
Public Function Compare(x As inventoryPartInfo, y As inventoryPartInfo) As Integer Implements System.Collections.Generic.IComparer(Of inventoryPartInfo).Compare
Return String.Compare(x.partDescription, y.partDescription)
End Function
End ClassASKER
Absolutely accurate; minimized code changes and/or extensions (which is GREAT since I had no control over how the code was originally written --- I'm just the maintenance operator today) and made it very easy for me to read and understand.
The others were close - and don't think I didn't appreciate their input - but this was the solution that resolved the problem with the least amount of code invasion, which results in fewer bugs later on.
Excellent work! And thank you!
The others were close - and don't think I didn't appreciate their input - but this was the solution that resolved the problem with the least amount of code invasion, which results in fewer bugs later on.
Excellent work! And thank you!
but this was the solution that resolved the problem with the least amount of code invasion, which results in fewer bugs later on.But you've actually modified the behavior of the structure itself. I'd say that has the potential for a bug. With PaulHew's approach, you are adding a new entity which contains the functionality you desire, but does not modify the original structure definition--it's completely separate. And as he already mentioned, that approach is much more extensible/expandable than implementing IComparable would be.
Definitely lots of good points in the discussion here...
See a very good clear example here....
http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.php?t=310363