# Hash Sorting **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [December 26, 2008, 8:32am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/hash-sorting/156380 "2008-12-26T08:32:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sunfish](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sunfish](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sunfish)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2008, 8:32am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/hash-sorting/156380/1 "2008-12-26T08:32:15Z")
Hi, My hash contain key as a combination of album date created\_at and album\_id and values are some photo object.and i need to sort this hash based on key; but i need to sort it also considering date created\_at. but if i consider a key as combination of both (date creataed and album\_id) then it is not pure date. how i solve it? any better solution ---
**Author:** ![sunfish](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sunfish](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sunfish)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2008, 8:49am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/hash-sorting/156380/2 "2008-12-26T08:49:17Z")
Would you mind posting an example of the hash and an example of how you would like it sorted? Thanks, Josh [http://iammrjoshua.com](http://iammrjoshua.com) Sunny B. wrote: > Hi, > > My hash contain key as a combination of album date created\_at and > album\_id and values are some photo object.and i need to sort this hash > based on key; but i need to sort it also considering date created\_at. > but if i consider a key as combination of both (date creataed and > album\_id) then it is not pure date. how i solve it? any better solution ---
**Author:** ![sunfish](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sunfish](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sunfish)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2008, 9:00am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/hash-sorting/156380/3 "2008-12-26T09:00:53Z")
Joshua A. wrote: > Would you mind posting an example of the hash and an example of how you > would like it sorted? > > Thanks, > Josh > [http://iammrjoshua.com](http://iammrjoshua.com) say i have album id 233 and created date 12/09/2008 so my key should be 12092008\_233 in this way? ---
**Author:** ![sunfish](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sunfish](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sunfish)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 5:18pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/hash-sorting/156380/4 "2008-12-27T17:18:00Z")
Sunny B. wrote: > Joshua A. wrote: > > > Would you mind posting an example of the hash and an example of how you > > would like it sorted? > > > > Thanks, > > Josh > > [http://iammrjoshua.com](http://iammrjoshua.com) > > say i have album id 233 and created date 12/09/2008 so my key should be > 12092008\_233 in this way? Instead of concatenating a string, just make your key an array of the values. hash = {} key = [date, album\_id] hash[key] = value However, hashes are not sorted in Ruby 1.8. Rails 2.x has an OrderedHash that maintains the keys’ nsertion order, but it’s not efficient for lookup by key. If you only plan to use the hash for iteration, that’s probably OK (but then why use a hash?). ---
**Author:** ![sunfish](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sunfish](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sunfish)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 5:22pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/hash-sorting/156380/5 "2008-12-27T17:22:03Z")
On Dec 27, 4:18 pm, Jeremy Weiskotten \ wrote: > hash = {} > key = [date, album\_id] > hash[key] = value > > However, hashes are not sorted in Ruby 1.8. Rails 2.x has an OrderedHash > that maintains the keys’ nsertion order, but it’s not efficient for > lookup by key. If you only plan to use the hash for iteration, that’s OrderedHash is a lot speedier in 2.3 Fred ---
**Author:** ![sunfish](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sunfish](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sunfish)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2008, 5:28pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/hash-sorting/156380/6 "2008-12-27T17:28:55Z")
Frederick C. wrote: > On Dec 27, 4:18�pm, Jeremy Weiskotten \ [s.net](http://s.net)\> wrote: > > > hash = {} > > key = [date, album\_id] > > hash[key] = value > > > > However, hashes are not sorted in Ruby 1.8. Rails 2.x has an OrderedHash > > that maintains the keys’ nsertion order, but it’s not efficient for > > lookup by key. If you only plan to use the hash for iteration, that’s > > OrderedHash is a lot speedier in 2.3 > > Fred Good to know, although I’m not even on 2.2 yet due to plugin incompatibilities. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![sunfish](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sunfish](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sunfish)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2008, 5:34pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/hash-sorting/156380/7 "2008-12-28T17:34:30Z")
On Sat, Dec 27, 2008 at 8:28 AM, Jeremy Weiskotten [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > lookup by key. If you only plan to use the hash for iteration, that’s > > > > OrderedHash is a lot speedier in 2.3 > > > > Fred > > Good to know, although I’m not even on 2.2 yet due to plugin > incompatibilities. Thanks! Jeremy, I apologize if this was already considered, but you _can_ sort a hash by a key/value, but it’s not inherently sorted for you. - > **[O'Reilly Media - Technology and Business Training](https://www.oreilly.com)** > > Gain technology and business knowledge and hone your skills with learning resources created and curated by O'Reilly's experts: live online training, video, books, our platform has content from 200+ of the world's best publishers. Good luck! Cheers, Robby – Robby R. Chief Evangelist, Partner PLANET ARGON, LLC design // development // hosting > **[Planet Argon](https://www.planetargon.com/)** > > Planet Argon is a Ruby on Rails development agency specializing in maintenance and support for existing Rails apps. Based in Portland, OR, Planet Argon has been a member of the Rails community since 2004. [http://www.robbyonrails.com/](http://www.robbyonrails.com/) aim: planetargon +1 503 445 2457 +1 877 55 ARGON [toll free] +1 815 642 4068 [fax]