Custom sorting literals in C++

When sorting elements in C++, the default behavior is to use the less-than operator (<) for comparisons. However, there may be cases where you want to sort elements based on a custom ordering that is not defined by the default comparison operator. In such cases, you can make use of custom sorting literals to specify the desired sorting order.

Here is an example that illustrates how to use custom sorting literals in C++.

#include <iostream>
#include <algorithm>
#include <vector>

bool customSort(int a, int b) {
    // Add your custom sorting logic here
    // In this example, we sort in descending order
    return a > b;
}

int main() {
    std::vector<int> numbers = { 5, 3, 1, 4, 2 };

    // Sorting the vector using custom sorting literal
    std::sort(numbers.begin(), numbers.end(), customSort);

    // Printing the sorted vector
    for (int num : numbers) {
        std::cout << num << " ";
    }
    std::cout << std::endl;

    return 0;
}

In the code above, we have declared a function customSort that defines our custom sorting logic. In this example, we sort the integers in descending order by using the greater-than operator (>). However, you can implement any custom logic based on your specific requirements.

The std::sort function is then used to sort the numbers vector using the customSort sorting literal. This ensures that the elements are sorted according to our custom logic instead of the default less-than operator.

Running the program will output: 5 4 3 2 1, which is the result of sorting the vector in descending order.

Custom sorting literals can be useful in scenarios where you need to sort objects based on non-default criteria, such as sorting strings in alphabetical order, sorting objects based on a specific attribute, or defining a custom ordering for complex data types.

By making use of custom sorting literals, you can have greater control over the sorting behavior in your C++ programs and achieve the desired sorting order for your data.


Reference: cplusplus.com - std::sort

Hashtags: #C++ #CustomSorting