From: 7stud -- <bbxx789_05ss@...>
Date: 2008-01-24T10:36:42+09:00
Subject: Re: Alphabetizing

Zenki Nine wrote:
> Thanks All for helping me out on this..
> 
> Now..here's another issue..Say i want to display the retired players 
> last name in alphabetical order with its contents. Noticed this time 
> some has middle names, initials.
> 
> How would I tackle this?
> 
> Sorry, I've looked thru many books and have a difficult time solving 
> this..
> 
> retired_players = <<PLAYERS
> Mike Anthony Gallego, 1985-1997
> Calvin Edwin Ripken, Jr., 1981-2001
> Tony K. Gwynn, 1982-2004
> Dennis Eckersley, 1975-1998
> PLAYERS
> 
> Thanks,


My attempt:


retired_players = <<PLAYERS
Mike Anthony Gallego, 1985-1997
Calvin Edwin Ripken, Jr., 1981-2001
Tony K. Gwynn, 1982-2004
Dennis Eckersley, 1975-1998
PLAYERS

#A container for each player's data:
Player = Struct.new(:last, :first_middle, :years)

#An array to hold each Player:
players = []

#Divide the string into lines:
lines = retired_players.split("\n")
lines.each do |line|
  pieces = line.split(',')

  #Extract the years played:
  years = pieces[-1].strip()

  #Extract the title, e.g. .jr, .sr
  if pieces.length == 3 #then player has a title like .jr, .sr
    title = pieces[1].strip()
  else
    title = false
  end

  #Extract the names:
  names = pieces[0].split()
  last = names[-1]
  first_middle = names[0..-2].join(" ")
  if title
    last = sprintf("%s %s", last, title)
  end

  #Create a new Player with the above data:
  players << Player.new(last, first_middle, years)
end

#Sort the Player objects in the players array by last name:
sorted_players = players.sort do |p1, p2|
  p1.last<=>p2.last
end

#Output the sorted players:
sorted_players.each do |player|
   puts sprintf("%s, %s %s", player.last, player.first_middle, 
player.years)
end


--output:--
Eckersley, Dennis 1975-1998
Gallego, Mike Anthony 1985-1997
Gwynn, Tony K. 1982-2004
Ripken Jr., Calvin Edwin 1981-2001
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