How to sort an array of objects with multiple field values in JavaScript

Question

I found a great method to sort an array of objects based on one of the properties as defined at:

Sort array of objects by string property value in JavaScript

Answer 1

You may also want to have a look at thenBy.js: https://github.com/Teun/thenBy.js

It allows you to use the standard Array.sort, but with firstBy().thenBy().thenBy() style.

Answer 2

I now this post is quite old, anyway I found it today and quoting Ege Özcan, I improved his excellent solution implementing DESC-ASC SQL-Like functionality for anyone interested (http://jsfiddle.net/ZXedp/65/):

function dynamicSortMultiple() {
    var props=[];
    /*Let's separate property name from ascendant or descendant keyword*/
    for(var i=0; i < arguments.length; i++){
        var splittedArg=arguments[i].split(/ +/);
        props[props.length]=[splittedArg[0], (splittedArg[1] ? splittedArg[1].toUpperCase() : "ASC")];
    }
    return function (obj1, obj2) {
        var i = 0, result = 0, numberOfProperties = props.length ;
        /*Cycle on values until find a difference!*/
        while(result === 0 && i < numberOfProperties) {
            result = dynamicSort(props[i][0], props[i][1])(obj1, obj2);
            i++;
        }
        return result;
    }
}

/*Base function returning -1,1,0 for custom sorting*/
function dynamicSort(property, isAscDesc) { 
    return function (obj1,obj2) {
        if(isAscDesc==="DESC"){
            return ((obj1[property] > obj2[property]) ? (-1) : ((obj1[property] < obj2[property]) ? (1) : (0)));
        }
        /*else, if isAscDesc==="ASC"*/
        return ((obj1[property] > obj2[property]) ? (1) : ((obj1[property] < obj2[property]) ? (-1) : (0)));
    }
}

call the function by something like this:

arr.sort(dynamicSortMultiple("c DESC","b Asc","a"));

Answer 3

I created a multi-parameter version of that dynamicSort function:

function dynamicSort(property) { 
    return function (obj1,obj2) {
        return obj1[property] > obj2[property] ? 1
            : obj1[property] < obj2[property] ? -1 : 0;
    }
}

function dynamicSortMultiple() {
    /*
     * save the arguments object as it will be overwritten
     * note that arguments object is an array-like object
     * consisting of the names of the properties to sort by
     */
    var props = arguments;
    return function (obj1, obj2) {
        var i = 0, result = 0, numberOfProperties = props.length;
        /* try getting a different result from 0 (equal)
         * as long as we have extra properties to compare
         */
        while(result === 0 && i < numberOfProperties) {
            result = dynamicSort(props[i])(obj1, obj2);
            i++;
        }
        return result;
    }
}

I created an array as follows:

var arr = [
    {a:"a",b:"a",c:"a"},
    {a:"b",b:"a",c:"b"},
    {a:"b",b:"a",c:"a"},
    {a:"b",b:"a",c:"b"},
    {a:"b",b:"b",c:"a"},
    {a:"b",b:"b",c:"b"},
    {a:"b",b:"b",c:"a"},
    {a:"b",b:"b",c:"b"},
    {a:"b",b:"b",c:"a"},
    {a:"b",b:"b",c:"b"},
    {a:"b",b:"b",c:"a"},
    {a:"c",b:"b",c:"b"},
    {a:"c",b:"c",c:"a"}
];

and it worked when I did,

arr.sort(dynamicSortMultiple("c","b","a"));

And here is a working example: http://jsfiddle.net/ZXedp/

Answer 4

The easiest way to perform a Javascript Multi-Criteria Sort (or Multi-Parameter Sort), is to use .sort, concatenate the multiple parameters together, and compare the two stings.

For example:

data.sort(function (a, b) {

  var aConcat = a["property1"] + a["property2"];
  var bConcat = b["property1"] + b["property2"];

  if (aConcat > bConcat) {
    return 1;
  } else if (aConcat < bConcat) {
    return -1;
  } else {
    return 0;
  }

});

I've included a JsFiddle Script here: http://jsfiddle.net/oahxg4u3/6/

Answer 5

Here is my solution. It faster than lodash's _.sortBy() multi-column sort function in about two times (see http://jsperf.com/multi-column-sort. I generate text of sorting function, then use it in standard .sort(). It works in Chrome and Firefox as well.

function multiColumnSort(arr,sf) {
    var s = '';
    sf.forEach(function(f,idx) {
        s += 'if(arguments[0].'+f+'>arguments[1].'+f+')return 1;';
        s += 'else if(arguments[0].'+f+'==arguments[1].'+f+')';
        s += (idx < sf.length-1)? '{' : 'return 0';
    });
    s += Array(sf.length).join('}')+';return -1';
    return arr.sort(new Function(s));
};