So, is there any explanation for this?Why can't python do a numerical sort?

[nameta9]

No numerical sort in python ?

I was really surprised to see that python can't do such an elementary operation!

I am trying to do a numerical sort in python on an array. I am using python for windows (DOS). In perl you can simply write sort{$a<=>$b}@a and this will sort it according to the value of the numerical string, (not the alphabetical value). I am looking for something similar in python but could only find a reference to sourceforge numpy where I have to download a large piece of source code in C and recompile it locally. Is there a simpler solution ? thanks...

 

[master_coda]

x.sort(lambda a,b: cmp(int(a), int(b)))

where x is the list you want to sort. Of course, you could just say x.sort() if you just stored your list of numbers as an actual list of numbers and not a list of strings.

 

[nameta9]

Thanks master. Getting close but it doesn't seem to work. My list is of the format x[1]="1123 wwww", x[2]="345 asdd", etc. What should I put in int(a) and int(b) ? when this is sorted "1123 wwwww" is before "345 asdd" because it is doing an alphabetical sort and not a numerical sort. Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[master_coda]

Try int(a.split()[0]) and int(b.split()[0]).

 

[nameta9]

It doesn't even do this! I also tried with a.append(22) etc. I don't think python sorts numerically in any case! Maybe it is because python on windows is too immature ?

a=[]
a.append(int('22'))
a.append(int('111'))
a.append(int('9'))
a.append(int('12'))

a.sort()

for mat in a:print mat


Second EDIT::::

OK it has to be done like this:

def descendingCmp(a,b):
return cmp(a,b)

a=[]
a.append(22)
a.append(111)
a.append(9)
a.append(12)

a.sort(descendingCmp)

for mat in a:print mat


It is simpler in perl, maybe they should simply create a built in function for sort numeric...

 

[faust9]

So, you are decrying python because you did not take the time to even quickly read through the python docs? You don't need to declare variable types in python. 4 is a number and '4' is a string.

Here, try this:

a=[123,234,542,821,111,54,767,23453,90,9,0,1,321]
a
a.sort()
a

it will work on windows, mac, linux, unix...

If you really want to get crazy do this:

a=[(123,'jack'),(1,'work'),(234,'a'),(542,'boy'),(111,'makes'),(90,'play'),(9,'and'),(0,'all'),(321,'dull'),(54,'no')]
a
a.sort()
a

it's easy.

Here is a good source for python knowledge:
http://www.python.org/doc/2.4.1/tut/tut.html

as is this:
http://diveintopython.org/

You should thumb through the docs and brush up a little. Python is day and night easier than perl.

 

[master_coda]

It doesn't even do this! I also tried with a.append(22) etc. I don't think python sorts numerically in any case! Maybe it is because python on windows is too immature ?

a=[]
a.append(int('22'))
a.append(int('111'))
a.append(int('9'))
a.append(int('12'))

a.sort()

for mat in a:print mat

This code works fine for me. When I run it I get:

9
12
22
111