vb.net - How to sort values of textboxes in vb?

Question

I have two groups of textboxes, A and B and these are created dynamically.

My program should work like this: 1. A textboxes have corresponding B textboxes. 2. Then, B textboxes should be sorted by their values in ascending order. 3. Based on that order, the A textboxes' values will be sorted also.

EX:

A                   B
5                   1
2                   0
3                   4
1                   5

Output is: 2 5 3 1

Please help me out. Thanks!

Answer 1

Create arrays of the textbox controls you have and then write a simple bubble sort. Bubble sort is slow, but more than fast enough for small amounts of data.

Dim arrA() As Textbox = {a1, a2, a3, a4, a5}
Dim arrB() As Textbox = {b1, b2, b3, b4, b5}
Dim Changed as Boolean
Do
  Changed = False
  For i = 0 to arrB.Count - 2 'Stop at the second to last array item because we check forward in the array
    If CInt(arrB(i).Text) > CInt(arrB(i + 1).Text) Then 'Next value is smaller than previous --> Switch values, also switch in arrA
      Dim Temp as String = arrB(i + 1).Text
      arrB(i + 1).Text = arrB(i).Text
      arrB(i).Text = Temp
      Temp = arrA(i + 1).Text
      arrA(i + 1).Text = arrA(i).Text
      arrA(i).Text = Temp
      Changed = True
    End If
  Next
Loop Until Changed = False 'Cancle the loop when everything is sorted

Now the textbox values are sorted and you can display the results whereever you want.

To display the values in the labels, say called l1-l5:

Dim arrL() as Label = {l1, l2, l3, l4, l5}
For i = 0 to 4
  arrL(i).Text = arrA(i).Text
Next