Custom Linq Ordering

Question

I have over a thousand folders, each folder contains one or more files with the following names:

Unordered:

Alison.ext
Heather.ext
Molly.ext
Paula.ext
Sam.ext         


        

Answer 1

You can store the desired order list in an array

int[] iIndex = {3,2,0,4, 1};

Say str holds your unordered List

List str = new List();
str.Add("Alison.ext");
str.Add("Heather.ext");
.
.
.

Add your list and corresponding order into a datatable

DataTable dt = new DataTable();
                dt.Columns.Add("Order", typeof(Int32));
                dt.Columns.Add("Name");

                for (int iCount =0; iCount< str.Count ; iCount ++)
                { 
                    DataRow drow1 = dt.NewRow();
                    drow1[0] = iIndex[iCount];
                    drow1[1] = str[iCount];
                    dt.Rows.Add(drow1);

                }
                dt.AcceptChanges();

Fynally Order yuor list to get yuor expected list

 var result = from ls in dt.AsEnumerable()
                         orderby ls.Field("Order")
                         select ls;