comparing arrays

[elduderino]

Hi,

I have two arrays( as a result of the user dragging some elements into droppable zones --using scriptaculous). The first array is specified by me in the javascript code and represents the correct answers and the second one is dynamically created by the user trying to get the correct answers.

I need to compare the arrays. All i need to know is if array 1 contains the same values as array 2. This sounds simple...i thought i'd just check that the arrays were the same length:

 if (arr1.length != arr2.length) return false;

and then continue with iterating over the array:

(arr1[i] != arr2[i]) return false;

Now this would work fine only if i could guarantee that my second array (the one generated from the users answers) was going to be in the same order as the other one. Invariably it won't be because i've let them drag the elements in any order.

So how do i compare two arrays like this? Is there any way to sort the dyanically generated array so it starts with the lowest value first or is there a way to compare two arrays even if their order doesn't match.

[elduderino]

Sorry, solved i think....


using array.sort(); seems to give me the array back in order of the lowest values first...although my reference says it orders lexicographically...so if my array went in to double figures then 10 would appear before 1.

any suggestions welcome!

[paul_wilkins]

You can provide a custom sort function.

array.sort(function(a, b) {
    return a - b;
});

Further details can be found at http://developer.mozilla.org/en/docs...cts:Array:sort

[elduderino]

Yes. I've found that! Thankyou