Question

I am using the ENUM sorting routine found at http://datatables.net/plug-ins/sorting. I would like to reuse that same function to sort another list outside of the DataTables plug-in (basically sorting a SELECT element on the same page as the DataTable). I want to avoid having to copy-and-paste (and maintain two sets of business rules) the features of the sort function.

For example, if this is the “plug-in” I’m using for DataTables:

jQuery.extend(jQuery.fn.dataTableExt.oSort, {
  "status-enum-pre": function (a) {
    switch (a) {
      case "Assigned": return 1;
      case "Contacted": return 2;
      case "Meeting Set": return 3;
      case "Closed": return 4;
      default: return 5;
    }
  },

  "status-enum-asc": function (a, b) {
    return ((a < b) ? -1 : ((a > b) ? 1 : 0));
  },

  "status-enum-desc": function (a, b) {
    return ((a < b) ? 1 : ((a > b) ? -1 : 0));
  }
});

How can I re-use that function to sort the following select list?

<select>
  <option value="Contacted">Contacted</option>
  <option value="Assigned">Assigned</option>
  <option value="Closed">Closed</option>
  <option value="Meeting Set">Meeting Set</option>
</select>

Answer 1

Obtain the required sort function from the jQuery.fn.dataTableExt.oSort property, and then pass it to Array#sort, which receives a comparator function. For example, to sort a select using status-enum-asc, you’d need:

// Plugin sort functions
var sortFn = jQuery.fn.dataTableExt.oSort["status-enum-pre"];
var sortDirFn = jQuery.fn.dataTableExt.oSort["status-enum-desc"];

// Sort
var options = $("select option");
options.sort(function(a,b) {
    return sortDirFn(sortFn(a.text), sortFn(b.text));
});

// Empty and append sorted options
$("select").empty().append(options);

DEMO.