for (var i in obj) question

[Claus Mygind]

I have an array of objects.

I display the content of the array in a table.

Then I have a link which lets the user sort the table. I do that by sorting the array, delete the content of the table and then redisplay the content of the array. But the "for (var i in obj)" seems to use the original order. I can see in firebug that the array is properly sorted. So why does it maintain the original sort order?

Here is my sample code and below is a screen shot of the array after sorting;

function a7DayKeysSort()
{
/*
-----------------------------------------
    clear previous values
        but preserve the header line
-----------------------------------------
    */
    var tr, td
    tbody = document.getElementById("dJobLines");
    while (tbody.rows.length > 1) 
    {
        tbody.deleteRow(1);
    }
/*
--------------------------------
       sort content of array
--------------------------------
*/
    a7DayKeys.sort();
 
/*
----------------------------------------------
       now re-display content of array
----------------------------------------------
*/
    for ( var ix in a7DayKeys )
    {
        cKey = a7DayKeys[ix];
 
        tr = tbody.insertRow(tbody.rows.length);
 
        td = tr.insertCell(tr.cells.length);
        td.setAttribute("align", "center");
        td.innerHTML = cKey.pJob;
 
        td = tr.insertCell(tr.cells.length);
        td.innerHTML = cKey.pName;
 
        td = tr.insertCell(tr.cells.length);
        td.setAttribute("align", "center");
        td.innerHTML = cKey.pPC;
 
        //load check boxes for true values
        for (var nx = 0; nx < 7; nx++ )
        {
            td = tr.insertCell(tr.cells.length);
            td.setAttribute("align", "center");
            if ( cKey[nx] == true )
            {
                td.innerHTML = '<INPUT TYPE="checkbox" NAME="">';
            }else{
                td.innerHTML = "&nbsp;";
            }
        }
    }
}
 

[Dormilich]

upon trying myself, sorting occured.

[Claus Mygind]

I just added a picture of the array as viewed from firebug. The array is sorted but the "for ( var i in obj)" is using the original sort order. Why would this be?

[Dormilich]

judging from the picture, a7DayKeys is not a standard array (besides that Firebug always display the properties and methods sorted)

out of interest, what does

typeof a7DayKeys

give?

[acoder]

What exactly are you sorting on? Except for very simple alphabetical sorts, you will need to supply a sort function to sort() - see https://developer.mozilla.org/en/Cor...cts/Array/sort.

[Claus Mygind]

@Dormilich
It returns that a7DayKeys is an "Object"

[Claus Mygind]

@acoder

I just wanted the keys of the object/array to be displayed in a sorted order. As was previously pointed out the display I show in my picture is the order I wish the records to appear. The unique key is made up of "-" + .job +.pc

initially I left out the "_" from the key. When I did that I was able to sort, but the key was changed from the original value to a standard array 0, 1, 2 etc.

also the key value is not always a number as shown. Other values can start with a letter like P or L.

So I added the underscore to make all values strings. That's when my trouble started.

I have other sorts on the same page where I do employ the suggestion in the link you sent and they work fine. In those arrays I sort on one of the attribute values.

So what you are saying I need to create a function that compares the value of the attributes, or create an attribute with the same value of Job+Pc and use that to compare.

a7DayKeys.sort(stringAsort);
 
//sorts character fields ascending order
function stringAsort(a, b) {
    a = a[job].toLowerCase();
    b = b[job].toLowerCase();
    return ((a < b) ? -1 : ((a > b) ? 1 : 0));
}
 

[Dormilich]

be aware that Array.sort() works on the values, not on the keys! (and because your values itself are objects again…)

in this regard you should refrain from terming your object as array (though it technically may be an array)

[Claus Mygind]

@Dormilich

Ok I see what you are saying. We will call it an object. Can I sort the attributes of the object? So they are recalled in the order that is shown?

I stated that poorly.

Can I sort the list of objects in my object

Not sure if that makes it clearer

[Dormilich]

can you make it a real array (depends on the usage) like

var new_entry_obj = new Entry([false, true, false, …], 65583, "OAK BRO", 60);
// the Entry object has a toString() method,
// which will return "712634" (or whatever)
// so that you can apply Array.sort()
a7DayKeys.push(new_entry_obj);

?

you could also ask the FireBug guys ;)

[Claus Mygind]

Thanks for your reply. I think at this time I am going to drop the idea of the sort option. Looks like I will have to study arrays and objects some more.