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ARRAYSORT Function

Sorts array values in the specified column, array literal, or function that returns an array in ascending or descending order.

  • This function calculates based on the outer layer of an array. If your array is nested, the sorting of inner elements is not factored.

Wrangle vs. SQL: This function is part of Wrangle, a proprietary data transformation language. Wrangle is not SQL. For more information, see Wrangle Language.

Basic Usage

Array literal reference example:

arraysort([A,B,C,D],descending)

Output: Returns the following array: [D,C,B,A].

Column reference example:

arraysort(myArrays,ascending)

Output: Returns the arrays listed in the myArrays column sorted in ascending order.

Syntax and Arguments

arraysort(array_ref,order_enum)

Argument

Required?

Data Type

Description

array_ref

Y

string

Name of Array column, Array literal, or function returning an Array to apply to the function

order_enum

Y

string (enumerated value)

Order is defined as either:

  • ascending (default)

  • descending

For more information on syntax standards, see Language Documentation Syntax Notes.

array_ref

Name of the array column, array literal, or function returning an array whose array values you wish to sort.

  • Multiple columns and wildcards are not supported.

Usage Notes:

Required?

Data Type

Example Value

Yes

String (column reference or function) or array literal

myArray1

order_enum

String literal indicating the order by which the referenced arrays should be sorted:

  • ascending - (default) lowest values for the valid data type are listed first.

  • descending - Null/empty values are sorted first, followed by mismatched values. Then, the array values that are valid for the specified data type are listed in descending order.

Usage Notes:

Required?

Data Type

Example Value

No

String (enumerated value)

descending

Examples

Dica

For additional examples, see Common Tasks.

Example - Student progress across tests

This example illustrates how to return n-based number of elements in an array.

Functions:

Item

Description

ARRAYLEN Function

Computes the number of elements in the arrays in the specified column, array literal, or function that returns an array.

ARRAYELEMENTAT Function

Computes the 0-based index value for an array element in the specified column, array literal, or function that returns an array.

ARRAYSORT Function

Sorts array values in the specified column, array literal, or function that returns an array in ascending or descending order.

Source:

Here are some student test scores. Individual scores are stored in the Scores column. You want to:

  1. Flag the students who have not taken four tests.

  2. Compute the range in scores for each student.

LastName

FirstName

Scores

Allen

Amanda

[79, 83,87,81]

Bell

Bobby

[85, 92, 94, 98]

Charles

Cameron

[88,81,85]

Dudley

Danny

[82,88,81,77]

Ellis

Evan

[91,93,87,93]

Transformation:

First, you want to flag the students who did not take all four tests:

Transformation Name

New formula

Parameter: Formula type

Single row formula

Parameter: Formula

IF(ARRAYLEN(Scores) < 4,"incomplete","")

Parameter: New column name

'Error'

This test flags Cameron Charles only.

The following transform sorts the array values in highest to lowest score:

Transformation Name

Edit column with formula

Parameter: Columns

Scores

Parameter: Formula

ARRAYSORT(Scores, 'descending')

The following transforms extracts the first (highest) and last (lowest) value in each student's test scores, provided that they took four tests:

Transformation Name

New formula

Parameter: Formula type

Single row formula

Parameter: Formula

ARRAYELEMENTAT(Scores,0)

Parameter: New column name

'highestScore'

Transformation Name

New formula

Parameter: Formula type

Single row formula

Parameter: Formula

ARRAYELEMENTAT(Scores,3)

Parameter: New column name

'lowestScore'

Dica

You could also generate the Error column when the Scores4 column contains a null value. If no value exists in the array for the ARRAYELEMENTAT function, a null value is returned, which would indicate in this case an insufficient number of elements (test scores).

You can now track change in test scores:

Transformation Name

New formula

Parameter: Formula type

Single row formula

Parameter: Formula

SUBTRACT(highestScore,lowestScore)

Parameter: New column name

'Score_range'

Results:

LastName

FirstName

Scores

Error

lowestScore

highestScore

Score_range

Allen

Amanda

[87,83,81,79]

79

87

8

Bell

Bobby

[98,94,92,85]

85

98

13

Charles

Cameron

[88,85,81]

incomplete

88

Dudley

Danny

[88,82,81,77]

77

88

11

Ellis

Evan

[93,93,91,87]

87

93

6