how to sort Array with UnixTime stamp - ios

Question

I want to sort an array by time. But the problem is that the time is in Form UNIX time stamp in the another array (sub array of array).
here is the format. Please can any one help me in sorting it .
(
group,
"The Comic Corner",
""
),
(
group,
"Home Alone",
""
),
(
group,
"Romantic Movies",
""
),
(
group,
"Thriller Movies",
""
),
(
group,
Badminton,
""
),
(
group,
"Celebrity Gossip",
""
),
(
group,
"Dark Night",
""
),
(
group,
"Graphics Designer",
""
),
(
group,
"I Just Wanna....",
""
),
(
group,
Religion,
""
),
(
group,
"English Movies",
""
),
(
group,
"Music World",
""
),
(
group,
"Actions Movies",
""
),
(
group,
"Bed & Breakfast",
""
),
(
group,
"Strategic Games",
""
),
(
group,
"Beer Lovers",
""
),
(
group,
Hackers,
""
),
(
group,
"Darkroom-Darkroom",
""
),
(
group,
"Arcade Games",
""
),
(
group,
"Hindi Movies",
""
),
(
mood,
Anxious,
1386749684146
),
(
"profilepic_time",
1386545975408
),
(
"status_msg",
" *z32_ hell0",
1386635654457
),
(
Broadcast,
3,
11,
1372945566365
),
(
Broadcast,
3,
11,
3
),
(
Broadcast,
3,
11,
3
),
(
Broadcast,
3,
11,
1372858799160
),
(
Broadcast,
6,
11,
1372920363550
),
(
Broadcast,
6,
30,
1373012360303
),
(
Broadcast,
6,
30,
1373015204935
),
(
Broadcast,
6,
30,
1373018547181
),
(
Broadcast,
6,
30,
1373018768064
),
(
Broadcast,
7,
37,
1373025360112
),
(
Broadcast,
3,
37,
1373031270639
),
(
Broadcast,
3,
42,
1373868972980
),
(
Broadcast,
3,
29,
1372936645430
),
(
Broadcast,
3,
29,
1372935983470
),
(
Broadcast,
3,
101,
1374150527293
),
(
bulletin,
"dbxjsbxdijxjdjxichdjdixhdbdjx hdjdbdh",
1382331040766
),
(
bulletin,
"aaabbb ccc dddd eee ffff",
1382510132316
),
(
bulletin,
"dvxishhxxbbosihdjxibididhxososjshsisos dijfjeosksn osjdjkd",
1382510521856
),
(
bulletin,
tsotdo,
1382707279159
),
(
bulletin,
84saurzuzri,
1382707293764
),
(
bulletin,
aiaktsktzyodld,
1382707305875
),
(
bulletin,
uarsistoso,
1382707326326
),
(
bulletin,
2e58e8etisististi,
1382707335278
),
(
bulletin,
ztkzktzgtkktotk,
1382707484453
),
(
bulletin,
ztkzktzgtkktotk9e85a4a47a48a37ariz,
1382707491619
),
(
bulletin,
"dbxidj didcxj",
1384173984019
),
(
bulletin,
"testing testing testing testing",
1384589761276
),
(
bulletin,
"testing testing testing testing",
1384589772960
),
(
bulletin,
"testing testing testing testing",
1384589788706
),
(
bulletin,
"testing testing testing testing",
1384589822861
),
(
bulletin,
"testing testing testing testing",
1384589871332
),
(
bulletin,
"testing testing testing testing",
1384589875364
),
(
bulletin,
"testing testing testing testing",
1384589910927
),
(
bulletin,
hey,
1384589984774
),
(
bulletin,
"heya ",
1384590016235
),
(
bulletin,
ok,
1384597237610
),
(
bulletin,
"hey ",
1384605812061
),
(
bulletin,
fhjfs,
1384757502287
),
There is timestamp for some array and no timestamp for some array
It is very complex for me. Can any one help me with that
Thanks

Answer 1

You need to specify a custom comparator block, like this (you'll need to adjust the indices according to your data structure):
NSArray *array = #[#[#"a", #456], #[#"b", #123], #[#"c", #""]];
NSArray *sorted = [array sortedArrayUsingComparator:^NSComparisonResult(NSArray *a, NSArray *b) {
if ([a.lastObject isKindOfClass:[NSNumber class]] &&
[b.lastObject isKindOfClass:[NSNumber class]]) {
return [a.lastObject compare:b.lastObject];
}
return NSOrderedAscending;
}];
NSLog(#"%#", sorted);
You can change NSOrderedAscending to NSOrderedDescending if you want the non-timestamped records to appear before the timestamped ones.
In addition, I recommend you to avoid storing your data in NSArray of NSArrays, and create a proper DTO (that can define it's own sorting function, if needed) for your items.