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
3.9.5.2.1.11
3.9.5.2.1.12
3.9.5.2.1.2
3.9.5.2.1.3
3.9.5.2.1.4

etc.

I want it to sort like this: (in numeric order)

3.9.5.2.1.1
3.9.5.2.1.2
3.9.5.2.1.3
...
3.9.5.2.1.9
3.9.5.2.1.10
3.9.5.2.1.11
3.9.5.2.1.12

I know that I can:

1. Use the Split function to get the individual numbers
2. Put the values into an object
3. Sort the object

I prefer to avoid all of that work if it is duplicating existing functionality. Is a method in the .net framework that does this already?

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<string> 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.

Answer 2

You can use the awesome AlphanumComparator Alphanum natural sort algorithm by David Koelle.

Code:

OrderBy(o => o.MyString, new AlphanumComparator())

If you're gonna use the C# version change it to:

AlphanumComparator : IComparer<string>

and

public int Compare(string x, string y)

Answer 3

In addition to implementing your own IComparer as Jon mentions, if you call ToList() on your array, you can call the .Sort() method and pass in a function parameter that compares two values, as shown here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/w56d4y5z.aspx