Sorting set of data

[Su Man]

Hi All,

I have set of values arranged as rows and columns.

Say 5 rows and 4 columns.

Is there any mechanism through which I can sort ( preferably using
HashMap/array list ) them by a preferred column?
Some times by Column 3, sometimes by Column 1 etc.

I have data in an array list.
Array list contains hash maps. Each hash map represent a row.
Each hash map holding its column values as name-value pair.

Can you please focus some light on this?

Thanks,
Su man

 

[Roedy Green]

Is there any mechanism through which I can sort ( preferably using
HashMap/array list ) them by a preferred column?
Some times by Column 3, sometimes by Column 1 etc.

see http://mindprod.com/jgloss/sort.html

and http://mindprod.com/jgloss/comparator.html
for a very general purpose Comparator that lets you select the column.