Multiple Array Sorting

[cdoor84]

I have two arrays that coincide with each other. One array has the name and the other has a numerical value that goes with the name.

Ex:
name = [name1, name2, name3]
value = [12,11,17]

So, name1 = 12, name2 = 11, and name3 = 17.

What I want to do is reorder the value array from greatest to least, but also reorder the name array so that the values and names still line up.

Ex result:
name = [name3, name1, name2]
value = [17,12,11]

I cannot find a way to do this. I know how to reorder an array, just not how to mirror the order in a separate array.

Thanks for your help,
Chris

[cdoor84]

Maybe what I asked for isn't possible. Here's a different way I could go about it also. Is there a way to sort nested arrays?

<script type="text/javascript">

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

var n = [10, "winona"];
var m = [14, "alab"];
var l = [13, "greg"];

var c = [n,m,l];

document.write(c[][0].sort(sortNumber));

</script>

This doesn't work, but is there a way I can sort the arrays nm&l based on the numbers in the 0 columns of their arrays?

Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks again.

[Vassil Catsarov]

Why not to try to combine both arrays into one "two dimensional" array and sort the latter according to your preferences?

[cdoor84]

Isn't that what the code I have above is doing? Is 'var c' a two dimensional array? I still can't figure out how to sort that kind of array numerically.

[cdoor84]

This is as close as I have gotten. It works alphabetically only however, so if for example you change 152 to 15, it no longer is in numerical order. Any suggestions?

<script type="text/javascript">

function compare(a, b) {
   if (a < b) {
      return 1;
   }
   if (a > b) {
      return -1;
   }
   if (a == b) {
      return 0;
   }
}

var n = [150, "winona"];
var m = [142, "mlab"];
var l = [152, "greg"];

var c = [n,m,l];

document.write(c.sort(compare));
</script>

[Vassil Catsarov]

Well I guess you are right... Here is what I have tried to illustrate the idea:

myName = ["name1", "name2", "name3"];
myValue = [12,11,17];

myNameValue = new Array();;

for (i=0; i<myName.length; i++){
myNameValue[i] = [myName[i], myValue[i]];
}

function sortByRelevance(a,b) {
  a = a[0];
  b = b[0];
  return a == b ? 0 : (a > b ? -1 : 1)
}

myNameValue.sort(sortByRelevance);

alert (myNameValue[0][0] + ", " + myNameValue[0][1]);

I reversed the array sorting order function for the rearrangement to be obvious.
To sort in the right order, use this instead:

return a == b ? 0 : (a > b ? -1 : 1)

[cdoor84]

Nice, i switched the order (value before name) so its sorts the value and it seems to be working so far. This must be the main step I was messing up:

function sortByRelevance(a,b) {
a = a[0];
b = b[0];
return a == b ? 0 : (a > b ? -1 : 1)
}

Thanks a ton for your help!

[Vassil Catsarov]

You are welcome! When you get the principle, everything else is up to your customization. If it interests you, you can read how to sort these 2-d arrays here:
http://www.webdeveloper.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=59157
Especially how Nedals explained this issue to me.