Thread: Sorting an array

I have an array of strings that I need to sort alphabetically from a to z. What is the best way to do this? Could u please include a code sample for me to look at?

You can store all the letters into a character array and then use soemthing like bubblesort to sort them out using their ascii values, it's quite simple.

That is what i want to do. The trouble is... I've had one class in C and that was over a year ago and I don't remember how to do that. I have the the words in the array. The array is called word[50][20]. I just need to know how to sort them. Thanks.

Why have a double-subscripted array? Just do this:

Code:

char array[ 26 ] = { 'a', 'b', 'c' ........ };

bubblesort( array ) {
   /* some other code */
   for ( i = 0; i < 26; i++ )
      for ( j = 0; j < 25; j++ )
         if ( array[ i ] > array[ i + 1 ] )
            swap them

nice and easy, if you still don't understand i can give you teh full code when i have time.

Because when I read the array in, I have to limit the words to 20 characters or less. That is why I have the the second value.

why don't you use qsort and strcmp, which should be given to you in the stdlib. Try this example, and i'm sure you'll be able to figure out how to use it. Read your compiler documentation for more info on qsort.

Code:

#include <stdlib.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>

int main ()
{
    char names[4][10] = {"george", "jim", "mary", "bob"};
    int elements = 4, i;

    qsort (names, elements, 10, ( int (*) (const void*, const void*)) strcmp);
    for (i = 0; i < elements; ++i)
        printf ("%s\n", names[i]);

    return 0;
}

easy as that.

Ok here is what I'm trying to do:
for(i=0;i<50;i++) //Sorts the contents of the array
{
// for(j=0;j<20;j++)
//{
if(strcmp(word[i+1],word[i])>0)
{
strcpy(datahold,word[i]);
strcpy(word[i],word[i+1]);
strcpy(word[i+1],datahold);
}
//}
}
Is there a way to make this work? This is the way I need to do it for the class. Plz help!!

first thing I would do is sit down with your professor because you don't really understand what you're trying to do. you do want a firm grasp on the material, right?

If you can't you qsort, here's a easy bubble sort that will work for you.

Code:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>

void b_sort_strings ( char * array[], int size)
{
    char* temp;
    int i, j;
    for ( i = 0; i < size; ++i)
        for ( j = 0; j < size; ++j)
            if ( strcmp (array [i], array[j] < 0) {
                temp = array[i];
                array[i] = array[j];
                array[j] = temp;
            }
}

I mean, why limit to 20 for the array? And if you're just comparing characters you don't need strcmp().

To say what Prelude was saying in another way, you swap the addresses of your data, not the actuall data.

WTF are you guys talking about? what if you have two strings "steve" and "stephen". Then what do you do?. you have to account for duplicate characters...

Does'nt matter, i think he doesn't understand lol.

The unreigistered guy is right. That is what I have to do. I have to put 50 words in alphabetical order. So I have to account for duplicate characters in the words. That is why I have the 2nd dimension in the array.