Question

I have a select box on a form, which carries an incremental rel attribute.
I have a function that can sort the options by thier .text() value, into alphabetcal order.

My question is, with jQuery, how do i sort in an ascending order using the rel attribute ?

<option rel="1" value="ASHCHRC">Ashchurch for Tewkesbury </option>
<option rel="2" value="EVESHAM">Evesham </option>
<option rel="3" value="CHLTNHM">Cheltenham Spa </option>
<option rel="4" value="PERSHOR">Pershore </option>
<option rel="5" value="HONYBRN">Honeybourne </option>
<option rel="6" value="MINMARS">Moreton-in-Marsh </option>
<option rel="7" value="GLOSTER">Gloucester </option>
<option rel="8" value="GTMLVRN">Great Malvern </option>
<option rel="9" value="MLVRNLK">Malvern Link </option>

my sort function: var object; can be one of many select boxes throughout the form.

$(object).each(function() {

    // Keep track of the selected option.
    var selectedValue = $(this).val();

    // sort it out
    $(this).html($("option", $(this)).sort(function(a, b) { 
        return a.text == b.text ? 0 : a.text < b.text ? -1 : 1 
    }));

    // Select one option.
    $(this).val(selectedValue);

});

Answer 1

If you want to sort by rel you should change your function

$(this).html($("option", $(this)).sort(function(a, b) { 
    var arel = $(a).attr('rel');
    var brel = $(b).attr('rel');
    return arel == brel ? 0 : arel < brel ? -1 : 1 
}));

edit with parseInt()

$(this).html($("option", $(this)).sort(function(a, b) { 
    var arel = parseInt($(a).attr('rel'), 10);
    var brel = parseInt($(b).attr('rel'), 10);
    return arel == brel ? 0 : arel < brel ? -1 : 1 
}));