Array之sort()
Description
If compareFunction is not supplied, elements are sorted by converting them to strings and comparing strings in lexicographic ("dictionary" or "telephone book," not numerical) order. For example, "80" comes before "9" in lexicographic order, but in a numeric sort 9 comes before 80.
If compareFunction is supplied, the array elements are sorted according to the return value of the compare function. If a and b are two elements being compared, then:
- If compareFunction(a, b) is less than 0, sort b to a lower index than a.
- If compareFunction(a, b) returns 0, leave a and b unchanged with respect to each other, but sorted with respect to all different elements.
- If compareFunction(a, b) is greater than 0, sort b to a higher index than a.
So, the compare function has the following form:
function compare(a, b) {
if (a is less than b by some ordering criterion)
return -1
if (a is greater than b by the ordering criterion)
return 1
// a must be equal to b
return 0
}
To compare numbers instead of strings, the compare function can simply subtract b from a:
function compareNumbers(a, b) {
return a - b
}
示例：
<html>
<head>
<SCRIPT>
//此例主要用来说明Array对象的sort(compareFunction) 方法的用法
//如果省略compareFunction 对象，则按照英文字母顺序排,不管Array中的类型是数字还是字符型,sort默认的是升序
//The following example creates four arrays and displays the original array,
//then the sorted arrays. The numeric arrays are sorted without, then with, a compare function.
stringArray = new Array("Blue","Humpback","Beluga")
numericStringArray = new Array("80","9","700")
numberArray = new Array(40,1,5,200)
mixedNumericArray = new Array("80","9","700",40,1,5,200)
function compareNumbers(a, b) {
return a - b
}
document.write("<B>stringArray:</B> " + stringArray.join() +"<BR>")
document.write("<B>Sorted:</B> " + stringArray.sort() +"<P>")
document.write("<B>numberArray:</B> " + numberArray.join() +"<BR>")
document.write("<B>Sorted without a compare function:</B> " + numberArray.sort() +"<BR>")
document.write("<B>Sorted with compareNumbers:</B> " + numberArray.sort(compareNumbers) +"<P>")
document.write("<B>numericStringArray:</B> " + numericStringArray.join() +"<BR>")
document.write("<B>Sorted without a compare function:</B> " + numericStringArray.sort() +"<BR>")
document.write("<B>Sorted with compareNumbers:</B> " + numericStringArray.sort(compareNumbers) +"<P>")
document.write("<B>mixedNumericArray:</B> " + mixedNumericArray.join() +"<BR>")
document.write("<B>Sorted without a compare function:</B> " + mixedNumericArray.sort() +"<BR>")
document.write("<B>Sorted with compareNumbers:</B> " + mixedNumericArray.sort(compareNumbers) +"<BR>")
</SCRIPT>
</head>
</html>
上例运行结果：
stringArray: Blue,Humpback,Beluga Sorted: Beluga,Blue,Humpback numberArray: 40,1,5,200 Sorted without a compare function: 1,200,40,5 Sorted with compareNumbers: 1,5,40,200 numericStringArray: 80,9,700 Sorted without a compare function: 700,80,9 Sorted with compareNumbers: 9,80,700 mixedNumericArray: 80,9,700,40,1,5,200 Sorted without a compare function: 1,200,40,5,700,80,9 Sorted with compareNumbers: 1,5,9,40,80,200,700