How to sort data stored in a text file by high score in c#

Question

I am making a quiz game for my computing coursework and I have completed the quiz part of my application and I am currently moving on to my leader board but to do that I need to sort my scores text file which contains the users name, score and time but I am now trying to retrieve these data and display them in a table.

The users' name score and time saves fine into the scores text file but to display these details I first need to order these details by the score.

My test file is organised like this:

username,score,time

userName1,33,12
userName2,-55,33
userName3,34,2
userName4,23,27
userName5,63,72

This is the code that I am currently using but this only works if I have the data in the text file sorted first.

string[] readFile = File.ReadAllLines(file).ToArray();

for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++)
{
    string[] userDetails = File.ReadAllLines(file).ToArray();

    string username = userDetails[0];
    string score = userDetails[1];

    // Apply the text of lblUsername1-5 to be what the names 
    // of the top 5 scorers are in the file.
    lblUsername1.Text = userDetails[0].Split(',')[0];
    lblUsername2.Text = userDetails[1].Split(',')[0];
    lblUsername3.Text = userDetails[2].Split(',')[0];
    lblUsername4.Text = userDetails[3].Split(',')[0];
    lblUsername5.Text = userDetails[4].Split(',')[0];

    // Apply the text of lblScore1-5 to be what the scores 
    // of the top 5 scorers are in the file.
    lblScore1.Text = userDetails[0].Split(',')[1];
    lblScore2.Text = userDetails[1].Split(',')[1];
    lblScore3.Text = userDetails[2].Split(',')[1];
    lblScore4.Text = userDetails[3].Split(',')[1];
    lblScore5.Text = userDetails[4].Split(',')[1];
}

So if some one could help me to sort the data in my scores ext file that would be great. Thanks in advance.

The task is much easier to accomplish using serialization rather than parsing and chopping up text lines. Otherwise read file, parse to a class, sort the collection, rewrite the file — Ňɏssa Pøngjǣrdenlarp, Mar 30 '19 at 18:17

Lana · Answer 1 · 2019-03-31T04:02:16.673

You can use linq to sort data from your file

string[][] userDetails = File.ReadAllLines(file).Select(s => s.Split(',')).OrderBy(arr => int.TryParse(arr[1], out int result) ? result : 0)).Take(5).ToArray();

lblUsername1.Text = userDetails[0][0];
lblUsername2.Text = userDetails[1][0];
lblUsername3.Text = userDetails[2][0];
lblUsername4.Text = userDetails[3][0];
lblUsername5.Text = userDetails[4][0];

// Apply the text of lblScore1-5 
// to be what the scores of the top 5 scorers are in the file.
lblScore1.Text = userDetails[0][1];
lblScore2.Text = userDetails[1][1];
lblScore3.Text = userDetails[2][1];
lblScore4.Text = userDetails[3][1];
lblScore5.Text = userDetails[4][1];``

You shouldn't code by exception. Try this instead: `.OrderBy(arr => int.TryParse(arr[1], out int result) ? result : 0)` — Enigmativity, Mar 31 '19 at 01:47

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited Mar 30 '19 at 22:30

You should use objects to manage this. Your class should be a user with properties, se below.

Now you have full control on sorting and managing of your objects

using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;

public class User
{
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public int Score { get; set; }
    public int Time { get; set; }
}

class Program
{
    public static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        //This you get from file, no need for this in your code            
        string[] fromFile = new string[5] 
        { "userName1,33,12", "userName2,-55,33", "userName3,34,2", "userName4,23,27", "userName5,63,72" };    

        List<User> users = new List<User>();

        foreach (string line in fromFile)
        {
            string[] splitLine = line.Split(',');
            users.Add(new User() { Name = splitLine[0], Score = int.Parse(splitLine[1]), Time = int.Parse(splitLine[2]) });    
        }    

        foreach (User oneUser in users.OrderByDescending(x => x.Score))
        {
            //Here the store to file or what you want to do
        }
    }
}

How to sort data stored in a text file by high score in c#

2 Answers2