How to Sort Multiple Vector Arrays in order of Values

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My goal was to find a way to sort a Vector3 based on the value of X, then the value of Y, and then Z. Therefore if value1.x is less than value2.x check the y values.

The application for this code was to keep track of the current place (1st, 2nd, etc.) of race cars on a track using 3 variables: Laps, Specific Points, and Distance to the next Point. If you are a Lap ahead then it would ignore the next point and distance to that point.

After hours of exhaustive research I found the code I needed that I adapted to sort multiple vectors. I decided to post it here because I could not find this specific information anywhere, related to sorting Vector2’s, 3’s, etc.

1 Answer

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using System;

public class SortingVectors : MonoBehaviour {

    public Vector3[] playerInfo;

    void Start () 
	{
		playerInfo = new Vector3[8];
	}
 

	void Update () 
	{
 	Array.Sort(playerInfo, Vector3Compare);	
	}

	private int Vector3Compare(Vector3 value1, Vector3 value2)
	{
 		if (value1.x < value2.x)
		{
			return -1;
		}
		else if(value1.x == value2.x)
		{
			if(value1.y < value2.y)
			{
				return -1;
			}
			else if(value1.y == value2.y)
			{
				if(value1.z < value2.z)
				{
					return -1;
				}
				else if(value1.z == value2.z)
				{
					return 0;
				}
				else
				{
					return 1;
				}
			}
			else
			{
				return 1;
			}
		}
		else
		{
			return 1;
		}
	}

}

This arranges the Vector3’s based on the X value first, Y second, and then Z.

While this may be very straightforward to many of you, it wasn’t until I wrote this out that I fully understood what declaring an int/function actually allows you to do (I probably still don’t fully understand).

I hope this helps someone and I believe people will find other applications for this, even with Vector2’s or Vector4’s.

Thanks for being awesome!

God bless!

Howey