Google Script sort 2D Array by any column

Question

I had a asked an earlier question about retrieving records from a database, here: Retrieving Records from a Google Sheet with Google Script

I\'m fairly comfortable w

Answer 1

It seems if instead of using .getValues , you restrict to .getDataRange then perhaps your original sort code "tableData.sort([{column: 1, ascending: true}]);" can work if you avoid the square bracket.

var ss = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
var sheet = ss.getSheets()[0];
var range = sheet.getRange("A1:C7");

// Sorts by the values in the first column (A)
range.sort(1);

// Sorts by the values in the second column (B)
range.sort(2);

// Sorts descending by column B
range.sort({column: 2, ascending: false});

I found this in Google Documentation

Answer 2

The array.sort method can have a function argument to choose on what part you want to sort. Code goes like this :

    array.sort(function(x,y){
      var xp = x[3];
      var yp = y[3];
// in this example I used the 4th column... 
      return xp == yp ? 0 : xp < yp ? -1 : 1;
    });

---

EDIT

Following your comment, here is a small demo function that should help to understand how this works.

Instead of using short form if/else condition I used the traditional form and splitted it in 3 lines to make it easier to understand.

function demo(){
  // using a full sheet as array source
  var array = SpreadsheetApp.getActive().getActiveSheet().getDataRange().getValues();
  Logger.log('Unsorted array = '+array);
  array.sort(function(x,y){
// in this example I used the 4th column... 
    var compareArgumentA = x[3];
    var compareArgumentB = y[3];
    // eventually do something with these 2 variables, for example Number(x[0]) and Number(y[0]) would do the comparison on numeric values of first column in the array (index0) 
    // another example x[0].toLowerCase() and y[0].toLowerCase() would do the comparison without taking care of letterCase...
    Logger.log('compareArgumentA = '+compareArgumentA+' and compareArgumentB = '+compareArgumentB);
    var result = 0;// initialize return value and then do the comparison : 3 cases
    if(compareArgumentA == compareArgumentB ){return result }; // if equal return 0
    if(compareArgumentA < compareArgumentB ){result = -1 ; return result }; // if A<B return -1 (you can change this of course and invert the sort order)
    if(compareArgumentA > compareArgumentB ){result = 1 ; return result }; // if a>B return 1
    }
            );
  Logger.log('\n\n\nSorted array = '+array);
}

I added a couple of Logger.log to check starting, intermediate and final values. Try this in a spreadsheet.

Hoping this will help.

Answer 3

My suggestion is to use a library like underscore.js which has a lot of useful functions to manipulate collections, arrays, map/reduce, sorting etc... Works without a glitch with Google Apps Script. That's the first library I add to any project I start on GAP.