Alphabetical Order

[pinbustersrule]

I've just started using python in my computer technology class. One thing I can't figure out is how to have python put the lists inside a string into alphabetical order. If anyone has any easy answer, it will be much appreciated. Also, my teacher told me he would give extra credit if I use bubblesort.

[vegaseat]

I don't understand your question entirely, but there is a Python snippet at:
http://www.daniweb.com/code/snippet452.html
that looks at various sorting algorithms, including the ever so slow bubblesort.

[pinbustersrule]

Sorry, I'll be more specific. Right now, we are practicing how to read the text from another file using python. The file we are reading is a list of several names. I've so far read the text in the file and put it into a for statement loop. I was wondering how to have python put the names into alphabetical order. That is the main objective, but more teacher told me he would be impressed if I could somehow use bubble sort for it.

[pinbustersrule]

Also, the list is only a small list of about 20 first names

[woooee]

Do you know about Python's built in sort? Try
print this_list.sort()
Bubble sorts are pretty straight forward btw.

[pinbustersrule]

ok, so straight forward that I can't get it. I'm only in a high school programming class. So, if possible, be as specific as possible because I'm not finding any answers on how to do bubble sort.

[woooee]

It's your extra credit, not mine. You'll have to come up with some code to start with or at least some ideas.

[pinbustersrule]

lol, what a waste of time then.

[jrcagle]

In terms of putting items into a list to be sorted, you want this:

f = open("mytextfile","r")
mylist = []
for line in f:
   mylist.append(f.readline())
f.close()

or even more concisely,

f = open("mytextfile","r")
lines = f.readlines()
f.close()

I agree with woooee, but he's not refusing help: you just have to make the first move by supplying a starting idea, algorithm, code, something.

Some possible starters:

1) Google for bubblesort so that you know how it goes.
2) Try to implement bubblesort with a list of 4 items and print things along the way.
3) Then try to implement it in your code.

That's the approach I take when I'm learning something new (my current project is wxPython).

If you get stuck, we like to help.

(FWIW, I think Insertion Sort is a better choice for lines that you read in one at a time ... but that probably won't get you extra credit.)

Jeff

[noonecares]

Hmmmmm...