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ArraySort
Last update:
May 18, 2026
Description
Sorts array elements numerically or alphanumerically.
Returns
True, if sort is successful; False, otherwise.
The member function returns the sorted array.
Category
Function syntax
ArraySort(array, sortType [, sortOrder, localeSensitive ])Or:
ArraySort(array, callback)History
ColdFusion (2021 release): Made the following changes:
- Sort Member functions accept compare/compareNocase as callback.
ColdFusion (2018 release): Made the following changes:
- Member function returns the sorted array.
- Introduced named parameters.
ColdFusion 10:
- Added the localeSensitive parameter.
- Added alternative callback-based syntax
ColdFusion MX:
- Changed thrown exceptions: This function can throw the ArraySortSimpleValueException error and ValueNotNumeric error.
- Changed the order in which sorted elements are returned: In a textnocase , descending sort, this function might return elements in a different sort order than in earlier releases. If sort_type = " textnocase " and sort_order = "desc", ColdFusion processes elements that differ only in case differently from earlier releases, as follows:
- ColdFusion reverses the elements' original order.
- Releases earlier than ColdFusion MX do not change the elements' original order. For example, in a textnocase, desc sort of d,a,a,b,A, the following occurs:
- ColdFusion MX and later returns d,b,A,a,a
- Releases earlier than ColdFusion MX return d,b,a,a,A
Parameters
Parameter | Description |
array | Name of an array |
localeSensitive | Specify if you wish to do a locale sensitive sorting. The default value is false. |
sortType |
|
sortOrder |
|
callback | A function which take two elements of the array, and returns whether the first is less than (-1), equal to (0) or greater than (1) the second one (similar to how compare () works for strings). |
Throws
If an array element is something other than a simple element, this function throws an ArraySortSimpleValueException error. If sort_type is numeric and an array element is not numeric, this function throws a ValueNotNumeric error.
Usage
In ColdFusion 10, added support for all Java supported locale-specific characters (including support for umlaut characters). A flag for this support has been added for sorttype = "text" or sorttype = "textnocase".
Example
<!--- This example shows ArraySort. --->
<cfquery name = "GetEmployeeNames" datasource = "cfdocexamples">
SELECT FirstName, LastName FROM Employees
</cfquery>
<!--- Create an array. --->
<cfset myArray = ArrayNew(1)>
<!--- Loop through the query and append these names successively to the last element. --->
<cfloop query = "GetEmployeeNames">
<cfset temp = ArrayAppend(myArray, "#FirstName# #LastName#")>
</cfloop>
<!--- Show the resulting array as a list. --->
<cfset myList = ArrayToList(myArray, ",")>
<!--- Sort that array in descending order alphabetically. --->
<cfset isSuccessful = ArraySort(myArray, "textnocase", "desc")>
...Example using a callback:
<cfscript>
authors = [
{firstName="Witi", lastName="Ihimaera"},
{firstName="Patricia", lastName="Grace"},
{firstName="Alan", lastName="Duff"},
{firstName="Lee", lastName="Tamahori"}, // OK: not an author
{firstName="Keri", lastName="Hulme"}
];
arraySort(
authors,
function (e1, e2){
return compare(e1.lastName, e2.lastName);
}
);
writeDump(authors);
</cfscript>
Note that the callback function does not need to be inline, as in the example; it can be any predefined user-defined function.
Output
Example using compareNoCase as callback.
<cfscript>
arrayToSort = ["d","C","b","A"];
sortedArray = arrayToSort.sort(compareNoCase);
writeDump(sortedArray)
</cfscript>Output
Example using compare as callback.
<cfscript>
arrayToSort = ["d","C","b","A"];
sortedArray = arrayToSort.sort(compareNoCase);
writeDump(sortedArray)
</cfscript>Output
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