How Can I Sort Strings with Embedded Numbers, Prioritizing Lexical and then Numeric Comparison?

Sorting Strings with Embedded Numbers

In this scenario, you have a specific requirement for string comparisons, where the primary portion is lexically compared, and if they match, the embedded integer values become the basis for comparison. To achieve this, considering the varying presence of spaces around numeric values, a custom approach is proposed.

Alphanum Algorithm

A recommended solution is to utilize the "Alphanum Algorithm" as suggested by the website mentioned in the answer. This algorithm provides a consistent sorting behavior that aligns with human perception.

Implementation

The Alphanum Algorithm works by iteratively comparing characters from the beginning and end of strings until a mismatch is encountered. When a differing section is found, it extracts the embedded numbers using regular expressions. If the strings contain convertible numbers, it conducts a numeric comparison; otherwise, it performs a lexical comparison on the extracted section.

Comparator Implementation

A Java Comparator implementation of the Alphanum Algorithm is available at the provided link. By integrating this comparator, you can sort strings as per the desired specifications, prioritizing lexical comparisons for the non-numeric portions and leveraging numeric comparisons for the embedded integer values.

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