### Author:  [@GoToLoop](https://discourse.processing.org/u/GoToLoop)
#### Post date: [July 18, 2019, 10:07am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-sort-words-alphabetically-from-a-string/12767/4 "2019-07-18T10:07:16Z")
> [@lolonulu](#):
>
> I certainly don’t understand how it works…
Just print the array’s state before & after **sort()**:
```auto
println("Before sorting:");
printArray(lines);
java.util.Arrays.sort(lines);
println("\nAfter sorting:");
printArray(lines);
```
Alternative, you can also try out Processing’s own **sort()** function:
> **[sort() / Reference](https://processing.org/reference/sort_.html)**
>
> Sorts an array of numbers from smallest to largest, or puts an array of words in alphabetical order. The original array is not modified; a re-ordered array is returned. The count parameter stat…
---
### Author:  [@lolonulu](https://discourse.processing.org/u/lolonulu)
#### Post date: [July 18, 2019, 10:28am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-sort-words-alphabetically-from-a-string/12767/5 "2019-07-18T10:28:22Z")
Thanks for your reply @GoToLoop,
Okay I did understood, but still the order of the word is messy in x, how come?!
a problem with textWidth()?!
```auto
String wordsList="folly,folly for to,for to,what is the word";
String message;
String []lines={"folly,","folly for to,","for to,","what is the word"};
boolean drawText;
PFont font;
// *****************************************************************************************************************************************
void setup() {
size(1080, 1600);
font = createFont("helvetica", 30);
textFont(font);
// lines = loadStrings("Beckett.txt"); //link to the text
message= join(lines, " "); // join all the words together
lines= split(message, ","); //split the text line by line
println("Before sorting:");
printArray(lines);
java.util.Arrays.sort(lines);
println("After sorting:");
printArray(lines);
}
// *****************************************************************************************************************************************
void draw() {
background(0);
translate(100, 100);
smooth();
int posX = 0;
int posY = 0;
lines = split(message, " ");
for (int i=0; i0) {
posX=0;
posY+= 50;
}
//textAlign(CENTER, CENTER);
textSize(30);
fill(255);
text(lines[i], posX, interY);
}
}
```
---
### Author:  [@GoToLoop](https://discourse.processing.org/u/GoToLoop)
#### Post date: [July 18, 2019, 10:49am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-sort-words-alphabetically-from-a-string/12767/6 "2019-07-18T10:49:48Z")
> [@lolonulu](#):
>
> , but still the order of the _word_ is messy in _x_,
There aren’t any variables named exactly _word_ nor _x_ in your posted code!
Also, you’re reassigning field _lines_ w/ another String[] array inside **draw()**:
`lines = split(message, " ");`
Obviously after that, the previously **sort()** String[] array from **setup()** is gone!
However, all of this is already beyond what you had specifically requested in this topic here.
I believe this is all being debated in your previous topic below:
> [@How to break line using loadspring()?](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-break-line-using-loadspring/12668/):
>
> Hello, I’d like to split my text into Strings and to move the same Strings to new coordinates. First when I split the text I don’t manage to insert a line break, how should I proceed? Thanks a lot in advance for your help. Best, L PFont f; String alphabet="ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ2019,.;:!?\n "; String wordsList="FOLLY,WHAT,FOR,TO,IS,THE,WORD,ALL,GIVEN,IS,FROM,ALL,THAT,SEEING,THIS,SEE,GLIMPSE,NEED,SEEM,WHERE,OVER,AWAY,AFAR,AFAINT"; String []lines; String message; int posX = 20; int posY =…
---
### Author:  [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)
#### Post date: [July 18, 2019, 10:52am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-sort-words-alphabetically-from-a-string/12767/7 "2019-07-18T10:52:24Z")
I failed to help him there that’s why he started a new thread
Maybe you can help him?
---
### Author:  [@GoToLoop](https://discourse.processing.org/u/GoToLoop)
#### Post date: [July 18, 2019, 10:55am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-sort-words-alphabetically-from-a-string/12767/8 "2019-07-18T10:55:47Z")
> [@Chrisir](#):
>
> Maybe you can help him?
I still don’t get what exactly the OP wants the code to do. 😕
---
### Author:  [@lolonulu](https://discourse.processing.org/u/lolonulu)
#### Post date: [July 18, 2019, 11:28am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-sort-words-alphabetically-from-a-string/12767/9 "2019-07-18T11:28:14Z")
Dear @Chrisir and @GoToLoop,
Thank you very much for helping me.
I am so sorry if I cause you problems. In fact I want something very simple:
1. I’d like to sort the words from a string (text) THIS WORKS
2. I’d like those words to move from their original positions (posY) to a new position (interY)
according to mouseX position THIS ALSO WORKS
3. But before the text get transformed it is not in the wright order: the last word of each sentence is on the left and the other words on the right side. I’d like the text to look like this before changing its coordinates:
folly
folly for to
for to
what is the word
folly from this
all this
folly from all this
and so on…
I hope this time I managed to explain yu clearly what I’d like to do?!
Looking forward to reading you
---
### Author:  [@InferNova](https://discourse.processing.org/u/InferNova)
#### Post date: [July 18, 2019, 12:02pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-sort-words-alphabetically-from-a-string/12767/10 "2019-07-18T12:02:44Z")
Hey There!
What it seems to me is when you sort the array, the comma which are present within each String foil with the order of each String. What I would do is **add a comma at each position after the splitting**.
```auto
for(int i = 0 ; i < lines.length - 1 ; i++){
lines[i] = lines[i]+",";
}
```
---
### Author:  [@lolonulu](https://discourse.processing.org/u/lolonulu)
#### Post date: [July 18, 2019, 12:44pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-sort-words-alphabetically-from-a-string/12767/11 "2019-07-18T12:44:51Z")
Hey @InferNova,
Thanks a lot for your answer and suggestion.
Do you mean like this ?!
Thanks in advance.
Best,
L
```auto
String wordsList="folly, folly for to, for to, what is the word";
String message;
String []lines={"folly", "folly for to", "for to", "what is the word"};
boolean drawText;
PFont font;
// *****************************************************************************************************************************************
void setup() {
size(1080, 1600);
font = createFont("helvetica", 30);
textFont(font);
// lines = loadStrings("Beckett.txt"); //link to the text
message= join(lines, " "); // join all the words together
//lines= split(message, ","); //split the text line by line
lines = split(message, " "); //split the text word by word
println("Before sorting:");
printArray(lines);
java.util.Arrays.sort(lines);
println("After sorting:");
printArray(lines);
for (int i=0; i0) {
posX=0;
posY+= 30;
}
textSize(30);
fill(255);
text(lines[i], posX, interY);
}
}
```
---
### Author:  [@InferNova](https://discourse.processing.org/u/InferNova)
#### Post date: [July 18, 2019, 12:59pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-sort-words-alphabetically-from-a-string/12767/12 "2019-07-18T12:59:42Z")
Do this before you do the split and join. I meant to say after sorting not splitting.
---
### Author:  [@lolonulu](https://discourse.processing.org/u/lolonulu)
#### Post date: [July 18, 2019, 1:15pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-sort-words-alphabetically-from-a-string/12767/13 "2019-07-18T13:15:40Z")
Thank you for your help
okay, here before splitting and after sorting…
Still same strange behavior!?
```auto
String wordsList="folly,folly for to,for to,what is the word";
String message;
String []lines={"folly,", "folly for to,", "for to,", "what is the word,"};
boolean drawText;
PFont font;
// *****************************************************************************************************************************************
void setup() {
size(1080, 1600);
font = createFont("helvetica", 30);
textFont(font);
println("Before sorting:");
printArray(lines);
java.util.Arrays.sort(lines);
println("After sorting:");
printArray(lines);
for (int i = 0; i < lines.length-1; i++) {
lines[i] = lines[i]+",";
}
// lines = loadStrings("Beckett.txt"); //link to the text
message= join(lines, " "); // join all the words together
lines= split(message, ",");
lines = split(message, " ");//split the text line by line
}
// *****************************************************************************************************************************************
void draw() {
background(0);
translate(100, 100);
smooth();
int posX = 0;
int posY = 0;
for (int i=0; i0) {
posX=0;
posY+= 50;
}
//textAlign(CENTER, CENTER);
textSize(30);
fill(255);
text(lines[i], posX, interY);
}
}
```
---
### Author:  [@InferNova](https://discourse.processing.org/u/InferNova)
#### Post date: [July 18, 2019, 1:45pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-sort-words-alphabetically-from-a-string/12767/14 "2019-07-18T13:45:36Z")
You should join based on commas. And split based on commas.
---
### Author:  [@lolonulu](https://discourse.processing.org/u/lolonulu)
#### Post date: [July 18, 2019, 2:30pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-sort-words-alphabetically-from-a-string/12767/15 "2019-07-18T14:30:58Z")
Thanks for your patience!
Now it looks better, but it doesn’t sort each word like it should so words don’t move
as they should: 1rst line: “folly”, 2nd below: “for”, then 3rd below : “is”
and so on.
How can I split now and sort the words from the String?
Thanks a lot,
L
```auto
String wordsList="folly for to what is the word";
String message;
String []lines={"folly ", "folly for to ", "for to ", "what is the word"};
boolean drawText;
PFont font;
// *****************************************************************************************************************************************
void setup() {
size(1080, 1600);
font = createFont("helvetica", 30);
textFont(font);
for (int i = 0; i < lines.length-1; i++) {
lines[i] = lines[i]+",";
}
// lines = loadStrings("Beckett.txt"); //link to the text
message = join(lines, ","); // join all the words together
lines = split(message, ","); //split the text line by line
//lines = split(message, " ");
println("Before sorting:");
printArray(lines);
java.util.Arrays.sort(lines);
println("After sorting:");
printArray(lines);
}
// *****************************************************************************************************************************************
void draw() {
background(0);
translate(100, 100);
smooth();
int posX = 0;
int posY = 0;
for (int i=0; i0) {
posX=0;
posY+= 50;
}
textSize(30);
fill(255);
text(lines[i], posX, interY);
}
}
```
---
### Author:  [@InferNova](https://discourse.processing.org/u/InferNova)
#### Post date: [July 18, 2019, 3:15pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-sort-words-alphabetically-from-a-string/12767/16 "2019-07-18T15:15:33Z")
Sort. Then add commas then join then split.
---
### Author:  [@lolonulu](https://discourse.processing.org/u/lolonulu)
#### Post date: [July 18, 2019, 3:36pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-sort-words-alphabetically-from-a-string/12767/17 "2019-07-18T15:36:31Z")
Dear @InferNova,
> Sort?
> How can I sort if I don’t join and split before?
> In this case I sort the sentences only, not each word separately…
```auto
void setup() {
size(1080, 1600);
font = createFont("helvetica", 30);
textFont(font);
println("Before sorting:");
printArray(lines);
java.util.Arrays.sort(lines);
println("After sorting:");
printArray(lines);
for (int i = 0; i < lines.length-1; i++) {
lines[i] = lines[i]+",";
}
message = join(lines, ","); // join all the words together
lines = split(message, ","); //split the text line by line
}
```
Can you tell me more please?! Thanks, L
---
### Author:  [@InferNova](https://discourse.processing.org/u/InferNova)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2019, 1:19am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-sort-words-alphabetically-from-a-string/12767/18 "2019-07-19T01:19:41Z")
Your array is already filled. With the items. You wanna sort then join then split.
---
### Author:  [@lolonulu](https://discourse.processing.org/u/lolonulu)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2019, 7:14am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-sort-words-alphabetically-from-a-string/12767/19 "2019-07-19T07:14:59Z")
Hey @InferNova,
Thank you for your message.
I think I am not very clear. Please find below the same code but with char() instead of String(). I’d like to achieve exactly the same thing with Strings than with char…
I hope now you see what I mean?!
Thanks a lot!
```auto
import java.util.Calendar;
PFont font;
String[]lines;
String joinedText;
String alphabet = "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZÄÖÜß,.;:!? ";
int[] counters = new int[alphabet.length()];
boolean[] drawLetters = new boolean[alphabet.length()];
float charSize;
color charColor = 0;
int posX = 20;
int posY = 50;
boolean drawLines = false;
boolean drawText = true;
String list;
// ********************************************************************************************************************************************************
void setup() {
size(1200, 1920);
lines = loadStrings("Beckett.txt"); //laden des zu analysierenden textes
joinedText = join(lines, " ");
lines= split(joinedText, ",");
font = createFont("helvetica", 25);
textFont(font);
for (int i = 0; i < alphabet.length(); i++) {
drawLetters[i] = true;
}
}
// ********************************************************************************************************************************************************
void draw() {
background(0);
translate (50, 0);
noStroke();
smooth();
posX = 10;
posY = 100;
float oldX = 0;
float oldY = 0;
String [] words = split(joinedText, " ");
// go through all characters in the text to draw them
for (int i = 0; i < joinedText.length(); i++) {
// again, find the index of the current letter in the alphabet
String s = str(joinedText.charAt(i)).toUpperCase();
char uppercaseChar = s.charAt(0);
int index = alphabet.indexOf(uppercaseChar);
if (index < 0) continue;
fill(255, 200);
//textSize(30);
float sortX = index*20+40;
float sortY = index*20+40;
float m = map(mouseX, 50, width-50, 0, 1);
m = constrain(m, 0, 1);
float interY = lerp(posY, sortY, m);
float interX = lerp(posX, sortX, m);
if (drawLetters[index]) {
if (drawLines) {
if (oldX!=0 && oldY!=0) {
noFill();
stroke(181, 157, 0, 100);
strokeWeight(2);
bezier(oldX, oldY, oldX+100*noise(oldX*150), oldY-30*noise(oldY*500), oldX+20*noise(interY*500), oldY+50*noise(oldX*150), interX, interY);
}
oldX = posX;
oldY = interY;
}
if (drawText && uppercaseChar !=',')
text(joinedText.charAt(i), posX, interY);
} else {
oldX = 0;
oldY = 0;
}
posX += textWidth(joinedText.charAt(i));
if (uppercaseChar ==',') {
posY += 20;
if (i>0) {
posX = 0;
}
if (i>945) {
posY+=40;
posX=-10;
}
}
}
}
// ********************************************************************************************************************************************************
void keyReleased() {
if (key == '1') drawLines = !drawLines;
if (key == '2') drawText = !drawText;
if (key == '3') {
for (int i = 0; i < alphabet.length(); i++) {
drawLetters[i] = false;
}
}
if (key == '4') {
drawText = true;
for (int i = 0; i < alphabet.length(); i++) {
drawLetters[i] = true;
}
}
String s = str(key).toUpperCase();
char uppercaseKey = s.charAt(0);
int index = alphabet.indexOf(uppercaseKey);
if (index >= 0) {
drawLetters[index] = !drawLetters[index];
}
}
```
---
### Author:  [@lolonulu](https://discourse.processing.org/u/lolonulu)
#### Post date: [July 19, 2019, 11:03am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-sort-words-alphabetically-from-a-string/12767/20 "2019-07-19T11:03:39Z")
Dear @GoToLoop and @Chrisir,
@InferNova helped me, but now I am lost in transtaion!?
Please find here below a code with Char() replacing the Strings(). I would like to do exactly the same than in this sketch but with strings. Can you please help me?!!
Thanks a lot in advance.
Best, L
```auto
boolean drawText = true;
String list;
// ********************************************************************************************************************************************************
void setup() {
size(1200, 1920);
lines = loadStrings("Beckett.txt"); //laden des zu analysierenden textes
joinedText = join(lines, " ");
lines= split(joinedText, ",");
font = createFont("helvetica", 25);
textFont(font);
for (int i = 0; i < alphabet.length(); i++) {
drawLetters[i] = true;
}
}
// ********************************************************************************************************************************************************
void draw() {
background(0);
translate (50, 0);
noStroke();
smooth();
posX = 10;
posY = 100;
float oldX = 0;
float oldY = 0;
String [] words = split(joinedText, " ");
// go through all characters in the text to draw them
for (int i = 0; i < joinedText.length(); i++) {
// again, find the index of the current letter in the alphabet
String s = str(joinedText.charAt(i)).toUpperCase();
char uppercaseChar = s.charAt(0);
int index = alphabet.indexOf(uppercaseChar);
if (index < 0) continue;
fill(255, 200);
//textSize(30);
float sortX = index*20+40;
float sortY = index*20+40;
float m = map(mouseX, 50, width-50, 0, 1);
m = constrain(m, 0, 1);
float interY = lerp(posY, sortY, m);
float interX = lerp(posX, sortX, m);
if (drawLetters[index]) {
if (drawLines) {
if (oldX!=0 && oldY!=0) {
noFill();
stroke(181, 157, 0, 100);
strokeWeight(2);
bezier(oldX, oldY, oldX+100*noise(oldX*150), oldY-30*noise(oldY*500), oldX+20*noise(interY*500), oldY+50*noise(oldX*150), interX, interY);
}
oldX = posX;
oldY = interY;
}
if (drawText && uppercaseChar !=',')
text(joinedText.charAt(i), posX, interY);
} else {
oldX = 0;
oldY = 0;
}
posX += textWidth(joinedText.charAt(i));
if (uppercaseChar ==',') {
posY += 20;
if (i>0) {
posX = 0;
}
if (i>945) {
posY+=40;
posX=-10;
}
}
}
}
// ********************************************************************************************************************************************************
void keyReleased() {
if (key == '1') drawLines = !drawLines;
if (key == '2') drawText = !drawText;
if (key == '3') {
for (int i = 0; i < alphabet.length(); i++) {
drawLetters[i] = false;
}
}
if (key == '4') {
drawText = true;
for (int i = 0; i < alphabet.length(); i++) {
drawLetters[i] = true;
}
}
String s = str(key).toUpperCase();
char uppercaseKey = s.charAt(0);
int index = alphabet.indexOf(uppercaseKey);
if (index >= 0) {
drawLetters[index] = !drawLetters[index];
}
}
```
[Next page](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-sort-words-alphabetically-from-a-string/12767.md?page=2)