Is there any way to sort text array in Appian, without using a plugin?

Hi,

The todatasubset function (forum.appian.com/.../Scripting_Functions.html can be used to sort data OOTB. According to the documentation sorting is only supported for CDTs, so you'll want to use a list of CDTs for the arrayToPage parameter, and a!pagingInfo for the pagingConfiguration. Make sure the sort parameter of a!pagingInfo is filled out, and points to the CDT field that you want to sort on. Hope this helps!

Yes it worked.. Thanks Daniell

@komalk To the best of my knowledge, this can be done OOTB without any plugin or CDT.

We can accomplish the requirement by taking advantage of the Appian's Complex System Data Type namely 'LabelValue' (https://forum.appian.com/suite/help/7.10/Appian_Data_Types.html#LabelValue) which is present OOTB and thereby we can avoid depending on a CDT as well. Here is the rule for doing so:

Name:
sortTextArray

Input(s):
1. textArray (Text Multiple)
2. isAscending (Boolean)

Output:
sorted text array (textArray is not empty) or null (if textArray is null or empty)

Definition:
if(
\trule!APN_isEmpty(array:ri!textArray),
\tnull,
\twith(
\ tlocal!arrayOfLabel:fn!apply(type!LabelValue(label:_),ri!textArray),
\ tlocal!sortedDataSubset:fn!todatasubset(
\ tarrayToPage:local!arrayOfLabel,
\ tpagingConfiguration:a!pagingInfo(startIndex:1,batchSize:-1,sort:a!sortInfo(field:"label",ascending:ri!isAscending))
\ t),
\ tlocal!sortedTextArray:fn!property(local!sortedDataSubset.data,"label",null),
\ tlocal!sortedTextArray
\t)
)


Ex1: rule!sortTextArray(textArray:{"Pega","Appian","Lombari","Bonita"},isAscending:fn!true()) --> Appian; Bonita; Lombari; Pega
Ex2: rule!sortTextArray(textArray:{"Pega","Appian","Lombari","Bonita"},isAscending:fn!false()) --> Pega; Lombari; Bonita; Appian

Attached the rule for your convenience.

that was really helpful @sikhivahans... Thanks a lot!

Komal, Not sure if recommended but there is a hidden function sort(), which when used gives sorted text array in ascending order. Just call sort(ri!textArray) in your expression rule.

Yes. SortTextArray ... you dont have to use a plugin

@karthik Correct, that's the function which I have seen earlier at /search?q=OriginalPostID-160006.

Correct me if I am not wrong, to implement the descending order, we might need to reverse the ascending ordered array as follows: fn!reverse(sort(ri!array)).

We need to see if Appian guarantees support to these kind of hidden functionalities. Anyhow fn!wherecontains() has also evolved from a hidden status as per my knowledge.

@sikhivahans Yes Correct! reverse() will help us to sort in descending and i too guess the same about fn!wherecontains being hidden before its exposure!