How can I use C# to sort values numerically?

Question

I have a string that contains numbers separated by periods. When I sort it appears like this since it is a string: (ascii char order)

3.9.5.2.1.1
3.9.5.2.1.10
3.         


        

Answer 1

Not really, though you may be able to use Regexes or Linq to avoid too much wheel-reinventing. Keep in mind it will cost you much the same computationally to use something built-in as to roll your own.

Try this:

List myList = GetNumberStrings();

myList.Select(s=>s.Split('.')).ToArray().
   .Sort((a,b)=>RecursiveCompare(a,b))
   .Select(a=>a.Aggregate(new StringBuilder(),
      (s,sb)=>sb.Append(s).Append(".")).Remove(sb.Length-1, 1).ToString())
   .ToList();

...

public int RecursiveCompare(string[] a, string[] b)
{
    return RecursiveCompare(a,b,0)
}

public int RecursiveCompare(string[] a, string[] b, int index)
{
    return index == a.Length || index == b.Length 
        ? 0 
        : a[index] < b[index] 
            ? -1 
            : a[index] > b[index] 
                ? 1 
                : RecursiveCompare(a,b, index++);
}

Not the most compact, but it should work and you could use a y-combinator to make the comparison a lambda.