Sorting a String array

[aram535]

Hi,

I'm reading in a delimeted text file (X rows, 4 columns) in this case tab delimited. I would like the array to be sorted in the array.

This is the best I have come up with, but it seems very harsh. Is there no easier way of sorting an array?

 

String[][] tempData;
tempData = new String[20][4];

[ stuff deleted when using CSV to read in the file ]

Arrays.sort(tempData, new Comparator<Object>() {
    public int compare(Object o1, Object o2)
    {
	try
	{
		String[] s1 = (String[]) o1;
		String[] s2 = (String[]) o2;
		if ((s1[0] == null) || (s2[0] == null))
		{
			return 0;
		}
		return s1[0].compareTo(s2[0]);
	}
	catch (ParseException e)
	{
		e.printStackTrace();
		return Integer.MIN_VALUE;
	}
}

The null check is because although I have a 20x4 String array defined, there is no gurantee that there will be exactly 20 rows, there might be less.

Thanks.

[BigDaddyLH]

I would use a List<SomeClass> , not a String[20][4], where SomeClass is Comparable.