How to sort a JavaScript array of objects by nested object property?

Question

I have this function to sort a JavaScript array of objects based on a property:

// arr is the array of objects, prop is the property to sort by
var sort = fu         


        

Answer 1

This is my modify code.

// arr is the array of objects, prop is the property to sort by
var s = function (prop, arr) {
    // add sub function for get value from obj (1/2)
    var _getVal = function(o, key){
        var v = o;
        var k = key.split(".");
        for(var i in k){
            v = v[k[i]];
        }
        return v;
    }
    return arr.sort(function (a, b) {
        // get value from obj a, b before sort (2/2)
        var aVal = _getVal(a, prop);
        var bVal = _getVal(b, prop);
        if (aVal < bVal) {
            return -1;
        } else if (aVal > bVal) {
            return 1;
        } else {
            return 0;
        }
    });
};

Answer 2

Instead of passing the property as a string, pass a function that can retrieve the property from the top level object.

var sort = function (propertyRetriever, arr) {
    arr.sort(function (a, b) {
        var valueA = propertyRetriever(a);
        var valueB = propertyRetriever(b);

        if (valueA < valueB) {
            return -1;
        } else if (valueA > valueB) {
            return 1;
        } else {
            return 0;
        }
    });
};

Invoke as,

var simplePropertyRetriever = function(obj) {
    return obj.property;
};

sort(simplePropertyRetriever, { .. });

Or using a nested object,

var nestedPropertyRetriever = function(obj) {
    return obj.nestedObj.property;
};

sort(nestedPropertyRetriever, { .. });

Answer 3

if you have array of objects like

const objs = [{
        first_nom: 'Lazslo',
        last_nom: 'Jamf',
        moreDetails: {
            age: 20
        }
    }, {
        first_nom: 'Pig',
        last_nom: 'Bodine',
        moreDetails: {
            age: 21
        }
    }, {
        first_nom: 'Pirate',
        last_nom: 'Prentice',
        moreDetails: {
            age: 22
        }
    }];

you can use simply

nestedSort = (prop1, prop2 = null, direction = 'asc') => (e1, e2) => {
        const a = prop2 ? e1[prop1][prop2] : e1[prop1],
            b = prop2 ? e2[prop1][prop2] : e2[prop1],
            sortOrder = direction === "asc" ? 1 : -1
        return (a < b) ? -sortOrder : (a > b) ? sortOrder : 0;
    }

and call it

for direct objects

objs.sort(nestedSort("last_nom"));
objs.sort(nestedSort("last_nom", null, "desc"));

for nested objects

objs.sort(nestedSort("moreDetails", "age"));
objs.sort(nestedSort("moreDetails", "age", "desc"));

Answer 4

You can use Agile.js for this kind of things.
Actually you pass an expression instead of callback, it's handle nested properties and javascript expression in a very nice-ish way.

Usage: _.orderBy(array, expression/callback, reverse[optional])

Example:

var orders = [
  { product: { price: 91.12, id: 1 }, date: new Date('01/01/2014') },
  { product: { price: 79.21, id: 2 }, date: new Date('01/01/2014') },
  { product: { price: 99.90, id: 3 }, date: new Date('01/01/2013') },
  { product: { price: 19.99, id: 4 }, date: new Date('01/01/1970') }
];

_.orderBy(orders, 'product.price');
// →  [orders[3], orders[1], orders[0], orders[2]]

_.orderBy(orders, '-product.price');
// → [orders[2], orders[0], orders[1], orders[3]]

Answer 5

Would this meet your needs?

// arr is the array of objects, prop is the property to sort by
var sort = function (nestedObj, prop, arr) {
    arr.sort(function (a, b) {
        if (a[nestedObj][prop] < b[nestedObj][prop]) {
            return -1;
        } else if (a[nestedObj][prop] > b[nestedObj][prop]) {
            return 1;
        } else {
            return 0;
        }
    });
};

Answer 6

You can split the prop on ., and iterate over the Array updating the a and b with the next nested property during each iteration.

Example: http://jsfiddle.net/x8KD6/1/

var sort = function (prop, arr) {
    prop = prop.split('.');
    var len = prop.length;

    arr.sort(function (a, b) {
        var i = 0;
        while( i < len ) { a = a[prop[i]]; b = b[prop[i]]; i++; }
        if (a < b) {
            return -1;
        } else if (a > b) {
            return 1;
        } else {
            return 0;
        }
    });
    return arr;
};