How do I sort arrays using vbscript?

I'm scanning through a file looking for lines that match a certain regex pattern, and then I want to print out the lines that match but in alphabetical order. I'm sure this is trivial but vbscript isn't my background

my array is defined as

Dim lines(10000)

if that makes any difference, and I'm trying to execute my script from a normal cmd prompt

Solution 1:

From microsoft

Sorting arrays in VBScript has never been easy; that’s because VBScript doesn’t have a sort command of any kind. In turn, that always meant that VBScript scripters were forced to write their own sort routines, be that a bubble sort routine, a heap sort, a quicksort, or some other type of sorting algorithm.

So (using .Net as it is installed on my pc):

Set outputLines = CreateObject("System.Collections.ArrayList")

'add lines
outputLines.Add output
outputLines.Add output

outputLines.Sort()
For Each outputLine in outputLines
    stdout.WriteLine outputLine
Next

Solution 2:

I know this is a pretty old topic but it might come in handy for anyone in the future. the script below does what the fella was trying to achieve purely using vbscript. when sorted terms starting in capital letters will have priority.

for a = UBound(ArrayOfTerms) - 1 To 0 Step -1
    for j= 0 to a
        if ArrayOfTerms(j)>ArrayOfTerms(j+1) then
            temp=ArrayOfTerms(j+1)
            ArrayOfTerms(j+1)=ArrayOfTerms(j)
            ArrayOfTerms(j)=temp
        end if
    next
next 

Solution 3:

Disconnected recordsets can be useful.

Const adVarChar = 200  'the SQL datatype is varchar

'Create a disconnected recordset
Set rs = CreateObject("ADODB.RECORDSET")
rs.Fields.append "SortField", adVarChar, 25

rs.CursorType = adOpenStatic
rs.Open
rs.AddNew "SortField", "Some data"
rs.Update
rs.AddNew "SortField", "All data"
rs.Update

rs.Sort = "SortField"

rs.MoveFirst

Do Until rs.EOF
    strList=strList & vbCrLf & rs.Fields("SortField")        
    rs.MoveNext
Loop 

MsgBox strList

Solution 4:

Here is a QuickSort that I wrote for the arrays returned from the GetRows method of ADODB.Recordset.

'Author:        Eric Weilnau
'Date Written:  7/16/2003
'Description:   QuickSortDataArray sorts a data array using the QuickSort algorithm.
'               Its arguments are the data array to be sorted, the low and high
'               bound of the data array, the integer index of the column by which the
'               data array should be sorted, and the string "asc" or "desc" for the
'               sort order.
'
Sub QuickSortDataArray(dataArray, loBound, hiBound, sortField, sortOrder)
    Dim pivot(), loSwap, hiSwap, count
    ReDim pivot(UBound(dataArray))

    If hiBound - loBound = 1 Then
        If (sortOrder = "asc" and dataArray(sortField,loBound) > dataArray(sortField,hiBound)) or (sortOrder = "desc" and dataArray(sortField,loBound) < dataArray(sortField,hiBound)) Then
            Call SwapDataRows(dataArray, hiBound, loBound)
        End If
    End If

    For count = 0 to UBound(dataArray)
        pivot(count) = dataArray(count,int((loBound + hiBound) / 2))
        dataArray(count,int((loBound + hiBound) / 2)) = dataArray(count,loBound)
        dataArray(count,loBound) = pivot(count)
    Next

    loSwap = loBound + 1
    hiSwap = hiBound

    Do
        Do While (sortOrder = "asc" and dataArray(sortField,loSwap) <= pivot(sortField)) or sortOrder = "desc" and (dataArray(sortField,loSwap) >= pivot(sortField))
            loSwap = loSwap + 1

            If loSwap > hiSwap Then
                Exit Do
            End If
        Loop

        Do While (sortOrder = "asc" and dataArray(sortField,hiSwap) > pivot(sortField)) or (sortOrder = "desc" and dataArray(sortField,hiSwap) < pivot(sortField))
            hiSwap = hiSwap - 1
        Loop

        If loSwap < hiSwap Then
            Call SwapDataRows(dataArray,loSwap,hiSwap)
        End If
    Loop While loSwap < hiSwap

    For count = 0 to Ubound(dataArray)
        dataArray(count,loBound) = dataArray(count,hiSwap)
        dataArray(count,hiSwap) = pivot(count)
    Next

    If loBound < (hiSwap - 1) Then
        Call QuickSortDataArray(dataArray, loBound, hiSwap-1, sortField, sortOrder)
    End If

    If (hiSwap + 1) < hiBound Then
        Call QuickSortDataArray(dataArray, hiSwap+1, hiBound, sortField, sortOrder)
    End If
End Sub