system.dataset.sort

This function is used in Python Scripting.

Description

Takes a dataset and returns a sorted version of the dataset. The sort order is determined by a single column. This works on numeric, as well as alphanumeric columns. When sorting alphanumerically, contiguous numbers are treated as a single number: you may recognize this as a "natural sort".

note

Datasets are immutable, which means they cannot be directly modified once created. Instead, this scripting function returns a new dataset with some modification applied, which must be assigned to a variable to be used. See Altering a Dataset.

Alphanumeric Sort

The table below represents an example of how alphanumeric values are sorted by the function. Raw Column Values represents the initial set of values in a column. The Sorted columns show how the function sorts in Ascending and Descending order.

Raw Column Values	Sorted - Ascending	Sorted - Descending
a1	a1	Z3
a22	A1	z3
Z3	a4	a77z99
z3	a7z9	a77z4
a4	a22	a22
a77z4	a77z4	a7z9
a77z99	a77z99	a4
a7z9	Z3	a1
A1	z3	A1

Natural Ordering

The naturalOrdering parameter allows the function to sort using either a natural ordering, or an alphabetical ordering.

Raw Column Values	Natural Ordering - Ascending	Alphabetical Ordering - Ascending
a11	a1	a1
a2	a2	a11
a1	a11	a2

Client Permission Restrictions

This scripting function has no Client Permission restrictions.

Syntax

system.dataset.sort(dataset, keyColumn [, ascending, naturalOrdering])

Parameters

Type	Parameter	Description
Dataset	dataset	The dataset to sort.
Integer / String	keyColumn	The index of the column to sort on.
Boolean	ascending	True for ascending order, False for descending order. If omitted, ascending order will be used. [optional]
Boolean	naturalOrdering	True for natural ordering, False for alphabetical ordering. Ignored if the sort column is a directly sortable data type. If omitted, defaults to True (natural ordering). [optional]

Returns

Dataset - A new sorted dataset.

Scope

Gateway, Vision Client, Perspective Session

Code Examples

Code Snippet - Sorting a Dataset in a Vision Table Component

# This code will take the data in a Vision Table component, sort it based on the column with index 1,
# and then reinsert the sorted data into the same Table.
 
data = event.source.parent.getComponent('Table').data
newData = system.dataset.sort(data, 1)
event.source.parent.getComponent('Table').data = newData

Code Snippet - Initializing and Sorting a Dataset by Column Name

# This code will create a dataset in scripting, and then sort it based on the name of one of the columns.
# It then inserts the sorted dataset into a table component.
 
# Initialize column headers and empty data list
headers = ["City", "Population", "Timezone", "GMTOffset"]
data = []
# Add rows, one by one, into data list
data.append(["New York", 8363710, "EST", -5])
data.append(["Los Angeles", 3833995, "PST", -8])
data.append(["Chicago", 2853114, "CST", -6])
data.append(["Houston", 2242193, "CST", -6])
data.append(["Phoenix", 1567924, "MST", -7])
# Convert headers and data lists into dataset
cities = system.dataset.toDataSet(headers, data)
# Sort the resulting dataset by city name
newData = system.dataset.sort(cities, "City")
# Write final dataset to a table
event.source.parent.getComponent('Table').data = newData