I have a sorted array, which I add elements to as the server gives them to me. The trouble I'm having is determining where to place my new element and then placing it in the same loop

in javascript this would look like this

for(var i = 0; i < array.length; ++i){
   if( element_to_add < array[i]){
      array.splice(i,0,element_to_add);
      break;
   }
}

The problem is that in coffee script I dont have access to the counter, so I cant tell it to splice my array at the desired index.

How can I add an element to a sorted array in CoffeeScript?

I have a sorted array, which I add elements to as the server gives them to me. The trouble I'm having is determining where to place my new element and then placing it in the same loop

in javascript this would look like this

for(var i = 0; i < array.length; ++i){
   if( element_to_add < array[i]){
      array.splice(i,0,element_to_add);
      break;
   }
}

The problem is that in coffee script I dont have access to the counter, so I cant tell it to splice my array at the desired index.

How can I add an element to a sorted array in CoffeeScript?

• javascript
• arrays
• coffeescript

• How are you iterating over the array now? – Blender Commented Jun 5, 2013 at 1:27
• for element in array and I also tried rapping some plane javascript code in back-ticks, but it keeps on putting return infront once it's piled – Loourr Commented Jun 5, 2013 at 1:32
• Assuming your array is not sorted in reverse, that code is wrong - it inserts the element just in the first position. And it forgets to break after having it inserted, so it will loop forever. – Bergi Commented Jun 5, 2013 at 1:44

3 Answers 3

The default for loop returns the index as well:

a = [1, 2, 3]
item = 2

for elem, index in a
    if elem >= item
        a.splice index, 0, item
        break

You may want to do a binary search instead.

If you are using Underscore.js (very remended for these kind of array manipulations), _.sortedIndex, which returns the index at which a value should be inserted into an array to keep it ordered, can e very handy:

sortedInsert = (arr, val) ->
  arr.splice (_.sortedIndex arr, val), 0, val
  arr

If you're not using Underscore, making your own sortedIndex is not that hard either; is's basically a binary search (if you want to keep its plexity as O(log n)):

sortedIndex = (arr, val) ->
  low = 0
  high = arr.length
  while low < high
    mid = Math.floor (low + high) / 2
    if arr[mid] < val then low = mid + 1 else high = mid
  low

If I understood you correctly, why not save the position, like so,

var pos=-1;
for(var i = 0; i < array.length; ++i){
   if( element_to_add < array[i]){

      pos=i; break;
   }
}
if(pos<0)
  array.push(element_to_add);
else array.splice(pos,0,element_to_add);