a simple und strightforward way to sort generic List

Sorting in general with generic list is quite easy if the developer knows how to do the sorting. With simple anonymous methods, as well the little known Comparsion delegate.

In one of my previous posts (caching cleanup strategy) I described a specific problem I have to solve for SharedCache, the .Net caching solution for distributed cache: http://www.sharedcache.com/ / http://www.codeplex.com/SharedCache

The following example here is just partly, the full code will be available within a few day's on CodePlex - upon my next hugh checkin .... people i'm a bit afraid to check it in sometimes it has so many new features ;-) - that i say as a person which preferres the way of: make small steps your reach your target faster!!!!

a simple sample class (a full formatted working class sample from my project):

   1:      public class Cleanup : IComparable<Cleanup>

   2:      {

   3:          string yourProperty = string.Empty;

   4:          public enum SortingOrder

   5:          {

   6:              /// <summary>

   7:              /// ascending sorting order

   8:              /// </summary>

   9:              Asc,

  10:              /// <summary>

  11:              /// descending sorting order

  12:              /// </summary>

  13:              Desc

  14:          }

  15:          public int CompareTo(Cleanup other)

  16:          {

  17:              return this.yourProperty.CompareTo(other.yourProperty);

  18:          }

  19:          public static Comparison<Cleanup> CacheItemPriority =

  20:              delegate(Cleanup cu1, Cleanup cu2)

  21:              {

  22:                  if (Cleanup.Sorting == SortingOrder.Asc)

  23:                  {

  24:                      return cu1.yourProperty.CompareTo(cu2.yourProperty);

  25:                  }

  26:                  else

  27:                  {

  28:                      return cu2.yourProperty.CompareTo(cu1.yourProperty);

  29:                  }

  30:              };

  31:      }

Once you have defined your class, you are able to sort it like need, with Ascending and Descending sortings

the sample you find also formatted at here: http://www.ronischuetz.com/code/cachecleanup.html

   1:      public class CacheCleanup

   2:      {

   3:          public CacheCleanup()

   4:          { 

   5:              List<Cleanup> coll = new List<Cleanup>();

   6:              coll.Add(new Cleanup(IndexusMessage.CacheItemPriority.Normal, new TimeSpan(0, 1, 7), 1, new DateTime(2007, 12, 28, 14, 12, 12), 21232, 90));

   7:              coll.Add(new Cleanup(IndexusMessage.CacheItemPriority.AboveNormal, new TimeSpan(0, 15, 7), 2, new DateTime(2007, 12, 28, 14, 12, 14), 22232, 190));

   8:              coll.Add(new Cleanup(IndexusMessage.CacheItemPriority.BelowNormal, new TimeSpan(0, 18, 7), 3, new DateTime(2007, 12, 28, 14, 12, 40), 23232, 88));

   9:              coll.Add(new Cleanup(IndexusMessage.CacheItemPriority.High, new TimeSpan(0, 8, 7), 4, new DateTime(2007, 12, 28, 14, 12, 16), 21552, 22));

  10:              coll.Add(new Cleanup(IndexusMessage.CacheItemPriority.Low, new TimeSpan(0, 9, 7), 5, new DateTime(2007, 12, 28, 14, 12, 17), 21252, 1));

  11:              coll.Add(new Cleanup(IndexusMessage.CacheItemPriority.NotRemovable, new TimeSpan(0, 22, 7), 6, new DateTime(2007, 12, 28, 14, 12, 19), 212332, 5));

  12:              coll.Add(new Cleanup(IndexusMessage.CacheItemPriority.AboveNormal, new TimeSpan(0, 41, 7), 7, new DateTime(2007, 12, 28, 14, 12, 22), 211232, 55));

  13:              coll.Add(new Cleanup(IndexusMessage.CacheItemPriority.BelowNormal, new TimeSpan(0, 58, 7), 8, new DateTime(2007, 12, 28, 14, 12, 21), 22532, 25));

  14:   

  15:              Console.WriteLine(@"Without Sorting");

  16:              foreach (Cleanup c in coll)

  17:              {

  18:                  Console.WriteLine(c.ToString());

  19:              }

  20:   

  21:              Cleanup.Sorting = Cleanup.SortingOrder.Asc;

  22:              coll.Sort(Cleanup.CacheItemPriority);

  23:              Console.WriteLine(@"Normal Sorting");

  24:              foreach (Cleanup c in coll)

  25:              {

  26:                  Console.WriteLine(c.ToString());

  27:              }

  28:   

  29:              Cleanup.Sorting = Cleanup.SortingOrder.Desc;

  30:              coll.Sort(Cleanup.CacheItemPriority);

  31:              Console.WriteLine(@"Reverse Sorting");

  32:              foreach (Cleanup c in coll)

  33:              {

  34:                  Console.WriteLine(c.ToString());

  35:              }

  36:          }

  37:      }

it's couldn't be easier :-)