Question

I would like to sort a list of strings which represent paths. The sort result will do have a hierarchical order.

What I mean is: for each directory path, I want to list all files in that path (alphabeticaly or not doesn’t matter) in first time. Then, each subdirectory path will be listed. For each subdirectory, I want all files… and so on.

Here is an example:

(Before)

emule/changelog.txt
emule/config/
emule/config/adresses.dat
emule/config/nodes.dat
emule/config/webservices.dat
emule/eMule.tmpl
emule/eMule_Chicane.tmpl
emule/license.txt
emule/license-GER.txt
emule/readme.txt
emule/Skin/
emule/Skin/Daan-V2-8.eMuleSkin.ini
emule/Skin/DaanV2-8/
emule/Skin/DaanV2-8/back.ICO
emule/Skin/DaanV2-8/WebServer.ico
emule/Template.eMuleSkin.ini
emule/webserver/
emule/webserver/add_server.gif
emule/webserver/arrow_down.gif
emule/webserver/arrow_right.gif
emule/webserver/yellow.gif
emule/emule.exe

(After)

emule/changelog.txt
emule/emule.exe
emule/eMule.tmpl
emule/eMule_Chicane.tmpl
emule/license.txt
emule/license-GER.txt
emule/readme.txt
emule/Template.eMuleSkin.ini
emule/config/
emule/config/adresses.dat
emule/config/nodes.dat
emule/config/webservices.dat
emule/Skin/
emule/Skin/Daan-V2-8.eMuleSkin.ini
emule/Skin/DaanV2-8/
emule/Skin/DaanV2-8/back.ICO
emule/Skin/DaanV2-8/WebServer.ico
emule/webserver/
emule/webserver/add_server.gif
emule/webserver/arrow_down.gif
emule/webserver/arrow_right.gif
emule/webserver/yellow.gif

I tried many solutions like Array.Sort() with a custom IComparable function.

Do you have any idea? Thanks so much.

EDIT: here is my IComparable method

zipEntries.Sort(AddressOf compareZipEntryFilenames)

Private Function compareZipEntryFilenames(ByVal x As Object, ByVal y As Object) As Integer
        Dim one As String = CType(x, ZipEntry).FileName
        Dim two As String = CType(y, ZipEntry).FileName

        If Path.GetDirectoryName(one) = Path.GetDirectoryName(two) Then
            Return String.Compare(one, two)
        Else
           Select Regex.Matches(one, "/").Count.CompareTo(Regex.Matches(two, "/").Count)
                Case -1 'one has less / than two; so one then two
                    Return -1
                Case 1 'one has more / than two; so two then one
                    Return 1
                Case Else ' = 0, same number of /; so alphabetical sorting
                    Return String.Compare(one, two)
            End Select
        End If
    End Function

Answer 1

Turns out to be as simple as:

Private Function compareZipEntryFilenames(ByVal x As ZipEntry, ByVal y As ZipEntry) As Integer

    Dim res As Integer = String.Compare(Path.GetDirectoryName(x.FileName), Path.GetDirectoryName(y.FileName))

    If res = 0 Then
        Return String.Compare(x.FileName, y.FileName)
    Else
        Return res
    End If

End Function