Returns a sorted array of the top level keys in a structure. Sorts using alphabetic or numeric sorting, and can sort based on the values of any structure element.

An array of top-level key names (strings), sorted by the value of the specified subelement.

Structure functions

StructSort(base, sortType, sortOrder, pathToSubElement)

Structure functions; "Structure functions" in Chapter 5, "Using Arrays and Structures," in ColdFusion MX Developer's Guide

The pathToSubElement string does not support array notation, and only supports substructures of structures.

This function does not sort or change the structure.

<cfscript>
   salaries = StructNew() ;
   employees = StructNew() ;
   departments = StructNew() ;
   for ( i=1; i lt 6; i=i+1 )
   {
      salary = 120000 - i*10000 ;
      salaries["employee#i#"] = salary ;
      
      employee = StructNew() ;
      employee["salary"] = salary ; 
      // employee.salary = salary ;
      employees["employee#i#"] = employee ;
      
      departments["department#i#"] = StructNew() ;
      departments["department#i#"].boss = employee ;      
   }
</cfscript>

<cfoutput>
<p>list of employees based on the salary (text search): <br>
1) #ArrayToList( StructSort( salaries ) )#<br>
2) #ArrayToList( StructSort( salaries, "text", "ASC" ) )#<br>
3) #ArrayToList( StructSort( salaries, "textnocase", "ASC" ) )#<br>
4) #ArrayToList( StructSort( salaries, "text", "DESC" ) )#<br>
<p>list of employees based on the salary (numeric search): <br>
5) #ArrayToList( StructSort( salaries, "numeric", "ASC" ) )#<br>
6) #ArrayToList( StructSort( salaries, "numeric", "DESC" ) )#<br>
<p>list of employees based on the salary (subfield search): <br>
7) #ArrayToList( StructSort( employees, "numeric", "DESC", "salary" ) )#<br>
8) #ArrayToList( StructSort( employees, "text", "ASC",  "salary" ) )#<br>
<p>list of departments based on the salary (sub-sub-field search): <br>
9) #ArrayToList( StructSort( departments, "text", "ASC", "boss.salary" ) 
)#<br>
</cfoutput>

<!--- add an invalid element and test that it throws an error --->
<p><p>
<cfset employees[ "employee4" ] = StructNew()>
<cftry>
   <cfset temp = StructSort( employees, "text", "ASC", "salary" )>
   <cfoutput>We have a problem - this was supposed to throw an exception!<br>
</cfoutput>
<cfcatch type="any">
   <cfoutput>
      ERROR: <b>This error was expected!</b><br>
      #cfcatch.message# - #cfcatch.detail#<br>
   </cfoutput>
</cfcatch>
</cftry>