ArrayList.Sort Method (Int32, Int32, IComparer) (System.Collections)

Sort Method (Int32, Int32, IComparer)

.NET Framework Class Library

ArrayList..::.Sort Method (Int32, Int32, IComparer)

Updated: October 2008

Sorts the elements in a range of elements in ArrayList using the specified comparer.

Namespace: System.Collections
Assembly: mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)

Syntax

Visual Basic (Declaration)

Public Overridable Sub Sort ( _
    index As Integer, _
    count As Integer, _
    comparer As IComparer _
)

Visual Basic (Usage)

Dim instance As ArrayList
Dim index As Integer
Dim count As Integer
Dim comparer As IComparer

instance.Sort(index, count, comparer)

public virtual void Sort(
    int index,
    int count,
    IComparer comparer
)

Visual C++

public:
virtual void Sort(
    int index, 
    int count, 
    IComparer^ comparer
)

JScript

public function Sort(
    index : int, 
    count : int, 
    comparer : IComparer
)

Parameters

index: Type: System..::.Int32
The zero-based starting index of the range to sort.

count: Type: System..::.Int32
The length of the range to sort.

comparer: Type: System.Collections..::.IComparer
The IComparer implementation to use when comparing elements.
-or-
nullNothingnullptra null reference (Nothing in Visual Basic) to use the IComparable implementation of each element.

Exceptions

Exception	Condition
ArgumentOutOfRangeException	index is less than zero. -or- count is less than zero.
ArgumentException	index and count do not specify a valid range in the ArrayList.
NotSupportedException	The ArrayList is read-only.

Exception

Condition

ArgumentOutOfRangeException

index is less than zero.

-or-

count is less than zero.

ArgumentException

index and count do not specify a valid range in the ArrayList.

NotSupportedException

The ArrayList is read-only.

Remarks

If comparer is set to nullNothingnullptra null reference (Nothing in Visual Basic), this method performs a comparison sort (also called an unstable sort); that is, if two elements are equal, their order might not be preserved. In contrast, a stable sort preserves the order of elements that are equal. To perform a stable sort, you must implement a custom IComparer interface.

On average, this method is an O(n log n) operation, where n is count; in the worst case it is an O(n^2) operation.

Examples

The following code example shows how to sort the values in a range of elements in an ArrayList using the default comparer and a custom comparer that reverses the sort order.

Visual Basic

Imports System
Imports System.Collections
Imports Microsoft.VisualBasic

Public Class SamplesArrayList

   Public Class myReverserClass
      Implements IComparer

      ' Calls CaseInsensitiveComparer.Compare with the parameters reversed.
      Public Function Compare( ByVal x As Object, ByVal y As Object) As Integer _
         Implements IComparer.Compare
         Return New CaseInsensitiveComparer().Compare(y, x)
      End Function 'IComparer.Compare

   End Class 'myReverserClass

   Public Shared Sub Main()

      ' Creates and initializes a new ArrayList.
      Dim myAL As New ArrayList()
      myAL.Add("The")
      myAL.Add("QUICK")
      myAL.Add("BROWN")
      myAL.Add("FOX")
      myAL.Add("jumped")
      myAL.Add("over")
      myAL.Add("the")
      myAL.Add("lazy")
      myAL.Add("dog")

      ' Displays the values of the ArrayList.
      Console.WriteLine("The ArrayList initially contains the following values:")
      PrintIndexAndValues(myAL)

      ' Sorts the values of the ArrayList using the default comparer.
      myAL.Sort(1, 3, Nothing)
      Console.WriteLine("After sorting from index 1 to index 3 with the default comparer:")
      PrintIndexAndValues(myAL)

      ' Sorts the values of the ArrayList using the reverse case-insensitive comparer.
      Dim myComparer = New myReverserClass()
      myAL.Sort(1, 3, myComparer)
      Console.WriteLine("After sorting from index 1 to index 3 with the reverse case-insensitive comparer:")
      PrintIndexAndValues(myAL)

   End Sub 'Main

   Public Shared Sub PrintIndexAndValues(myList As IEnumerable)
      Dim i As Integer = 0
      Dim obj As [Object]
      For Each obj In  myList
         Console.WriteLine(vbTab + "[{0}]:" + vbTab + "{1}", i, obj)
         i = i + 1
      Next obj
      Console.WriteLine()
   End Sub 'PrintIndexAndValues

End Class 'SamplesArrayList 


'This code produces the following output.
'The ArrayList initially contains the following values:
'        [0]:    The
'        [1]:    QUICK
'        [2]:    BROWN
'        [3]:    FOX
'        [4]:    jumped
'        [5]:    over
'        [6]:    the
'        [7]:    lazy
'        [8]:    dog
'
'After sorting from index 1 to index 3 with the default comparer:
'        [0]:    The
'        [1]:    BROWN
'        [2]:    FOX
'        [3]:    QUICK
'        [4]:    jumped
'        [5]:    over
'        [6]:    the
'        [7]:    lazy
'        [8]:    dog
'
'After sorting from index 1 to index 3 with the reverse case-insensitive comparer:
'        [0]:    The
'        [1]:    QUICK
'        [2]:    FOX
'        [3]:    BROWN
'        [4]:    jumped
'        [5]:    over
'        [6]:    the
'        [7]:    lazy
'        [8]:    dog

using System;
using System.Collections;

public class SamplesArrayList  {

   public class myReverserClass : IComparer  {

      // Calls CaseInsensitiveComparer.Compare with the parameters reversed.
      int IComparer.Compare( Object x, Object y )  {
          return( (new CaseInsensitiveComparer()).Compare( y, x ) );
      }

   }

   public static void Main()  {

      // Creates and initializes a new ArrayList.
      ArrayList myAL = new ArrayList();
      myAL.Add( "The" );
      myAL.Add( "QUICK" );
      myAL.Add( "BROWN" );
      myAL.Add( "FOX" );
      myAL.Add( "jumped" );
      myAL.Add( "over" );
      myAL.Add( "the" );
      myAL.Add( "lazy" );
      myAL.Add( "dog" );

      // Displays the values of the ArrayList.
      Console.WriteLine( "The ArrayList initially contains the following values:" );
      PrintIndexAndValues( myAL );

      // Sorts the values of the ArrayList using the default comparer.
      myAL.Sort( 1, 3, null );
      Console.WriteLine( "After sorting from index 1 to index 3 with the default comparer:" );
      PrintIndexAndValues( myAL );

      // Sorts the values of the ArrayList using the reverse case-insensitive comparer.
      IComparer myComparer = new myReverserClass();
      myAL.Sort( 1, 3, myComparer );
      Console.WriteLine( "After sorting from index 1 to index 3 with the reverse case-insensitive comparer:" );
      PrintIndexAndValues( myAL );

   }

   public static void PrintIndexAndValues( IEnumerable myList )  {
      int i = 0;
      foreach ( Object obj in myList )
         Console.WriteLine( "\t[{0}]:\t{1}", i++, obj );
      Console.WriteLine();
   }

}


/* 
This code produces the following output.
The ArrayList initially contains the following values:
        [0]:    The
        [1]:    QUICK
        [2]:    BROWN
        [3]:    FOX
        [4]:    jumped
        [5]:    over
        [6]:    the
        [7]:    lazy
        [8]:    dog

After sorting from index 1 to index 3 with the default comparer:
        [0]:    The
        [1]:    BROWN
        [2]:    FOX
        [3]:    QUICK
        [4]:    jumped
        [5]:    over
        [6]:    the
        [7]:    lazy
        [8]:    dog

After sorting from index 1 to index 3 with the reverse case-insensitive comparer:
        [0]:    The
        [1]:    QUICK
        [2]:    FOX
        [3]:    BROWN
        [4]:    jumped
        [5]:    over
        [6]:    the
        [7]:    lazy
        [8]:    dog
*/

Visual C++

using namespace System;
using namespace System::Collections;
void PrintIndexAndValues( IEnumerable^ myList );
ref class myReverserClass: public IComparer
{
private:

   // Calls CaseInsensitiveComparer.Compare with the parameters reversed.
   virtual int Compare( Object^ x, Object^ y ) = IComparer::Compare
   {
      return ((gcnew CaseInsensitiveComparer)->Compare( y, x ));
   }

};

int main()
{

   // Creates and initializes a new ArrayList.
   ArrayList^ myAL = gcnew ArrayList;
   myAL->Add( "The" );
   myAL->Add( "QUICK" );
   myAL->Add( "BROWN" );
   myAL->Add( "FOX" );
   myAL->Add( "jumped" );
   myAL->Add( "over" );
   myAL->Add( "the" );
   myAL->Add( "lazy" );
   myAL->Add( "dog" );

   // Displays the values of the ArrayList.
   Console::WriteLine( "The ArrayList initially contains the following values:" );
   PrintIndexAndValues( myAL );

   // Sorts the values of the ArrayList using the default comparer.
   myAL->Sort( 1, 3, nullptr );
   Console::WriteLine( "After sorting from index 1 to index 3 with the default comparer:" );
   PrintIndexAndValues( myAL );

   // Sorts the values of the ArrayList using the reverse case-insensitive comparer.
   IComparer^ myComparer = gcnew myReverserClass;
   myAL->Sort( 1, 3, myComparer );
   Console::WriteLine( "After sorting from index 1 to index 3 with the reverse case-insensitive comparer:" );
   PrintIndexAndValues( myAL );
}

void PrintIndexAndValues( IEnumerable^ myList )
{
   int i = 0;
   IEnumerator^ myEnum = myList->GetEnumerator();
   while ( myEnum->MoveNext() )
   {
      Object^ obj = safe_cast<Object^>(myEnum->Current);
      Console::WriteLine( "\t[{0}]:\t{1}", i++, obj );
   }

   Console::WriteLine();
}

/* 
This code produces the following output.
The ArrayList initially contains the following values:
        [0]:    The
        [1]:    QUICK
        [2]:    BROWN
        [3]:    FOX
        [4]:    jumped
        [5]:    over
        [6]:    the
        [7]:    lazy
        [8]:    dog

After sorting from index 1 to index 3 with the default comparer:
        [0]:    The
        [1]:    BROWN
        [2]:    FOX
        [3]:    QUICK
        [4]:    jumped
        [5]:    over
        [6]:    the
        [7]:    lazy
        [8]:    dog

After sorting from index 1 to index 3 with the reverse case-insensitive comparer:
        [0]:    The
        [1]:    QUICK
        [2]:    FOX
        [3]:    BROWN
        [4]:    jumped
        [5]:    over
        [6]:    the
        [7]:    lazy
        [8]:    dog
*/

Platforms

Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP Starter Edition, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2000 SP4, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 98, Windows CE, Windows Mobile for Smartphone, Windows Mobile for Pocket PC, Xbox 360, Zune

The .NET Framework and .NET Compact Framework do not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.

Version Information