From: "Lorenzo E. Danielsson" <danielsson.lorenzo@...>
Date: 2008-01-24T10:04:45+09:00
Subject: Re: Alphabetizing

Zenki Nine wrote:
> Gavin Kistner wrote:
>> Slightly simpler than my previous:
>>
>> retired_players = <<PLAYERS
>> Mike Anthony Gallego, 1985-1997
>> Calvin Edwin Ripken, Jr., 1981-2001
>> Tony K. Gwynn, 1982-2004
>> Dennis Eckersley, 1975-1998
>> PLAYERS
>>
>> # Find player info: yields an array of arrays
>> players = retired_players.scan( /^(.+), (\d+)-(\d+)/ )
>>
>> players = players.sort_by{ |name, start_year, end_year|
>>   # find the last name to use as the sort key
>>   name[ /\w+(?:, (?:jr\.|sr\.|phd|dds))?$/i ]
>> }
>>
>> p players
>> #=> [["Dennis Eckersley", "1975", "1998"], ["Mike Anthony Gallego",
>> "1985", "1997"], ["Tony K. Gwynn", "1982", "2004"], ["Calvin Edwin
>> Ripken, Jr.", "1981", "2001"]]
> 
> Thanks. Is there a way where I can display the full tenure? ie. 
> "1975-1998" instead?
> 
> I want to display in full:
> 
> 'Dennis Eckersley, 1975-1998'
> 

Replace:

p players

with:

players.each { |p, s, e|
   puts "#{p}, #{s}-#{e}"
}