ListSorter

Sorts the elements of the given list. The sorting can either be alphabetic or numeric, and in either ascending or descending order.

Null, missing, and empty values are considered to be the 'lowest' elements in both numeric and alphabetic sorting.

Examples

If an input feature had these attributes:

somelist{0} = 3

somelist{1} = 17

somelist{2} = 4

somelist{3} = 9

somelist{4} = 2

and the list name is set to somelist{}, then the feature leaving the transformer will have these attributes:

somelist{0} = 2

somelist{1} = 3

somelist{2} = 4

somelist{3} = 9

somelist{4} = 17

Note that if there were other attributes in the list "parallel" to the attribute being operated on, these will also be moved in the list to stay in "parallel" with the key attribute.

For example, if the input feature had these attributes:

somelist{0}.kind = 'paved'

somelist{0}.count = 3

somelist{1}.kind = 'smooth'

somelist{1}.count = 17

somelist{2}.kind = 'trail'

somelist{2}.count = 4

somelist{3}.kind = 'rough'

somelist{3}.count = 9

somelist{4}.kind = 'logging'

somelist{4}.count = 2

and the list name is set to somelist{}.count, then the feature leaving the transformer will have these attributes:

somelist{0}.kind = 'logging'

somelist{0}.count = 2

somelist{1}.kind = 'paved'

somelist{1}.count = 3

somelist{2}.kind = 'trail'

somelist{2}.count = 4

somelist{3}.kind = 'rough'

somelist{3}.count = 9

somelist{4}.kind = 'smooth'

somelist{4}.count = 17

Lastly, if the original list was sparse, that is, it was missing some elements, the sorting operation will have the side effect of compacting the list to make all elements have consecutive indices. For example, if the input feature had these attributes:

somelist{0}.kind = 'paved'

somelist{0}.count = 3

somelist{3}.kind = 'rough'

somelist{3}.count = 9

somelist{4}.kind = 'logging'

somelist{4}.count = 2

and the list name is set to somelist{}.count, then the feature leaving the transformer will have these attributes:

somelist{0}.kind = 'logging'

somelist{0}.count = 2

somelist{1}.kind = 'paved'

somelist{1}.count = 3

somelist{2}.kind = 'rough'

somelist{2}.count = 9

Configuration

Input Ports

Output Ports

Parameters

General

List Attribute	The name of the list that will be sorted by this transformer.
Sorting Type	Alphabetic: The elements in the list are sorted based on their values represented as text. Numeric: The elements in the list are sorted based on their numeric values.
Sorting Order	Ascending: Elements in the sorted list are arranged so that smaller elements come before larger elements. Descending: Elements in the sorted list are arranged so that larger elements come before smaller elements.

Additional Resources

More Information on Lists

Editing Transformer Parameters

Transformer parameters can be set by directly entering values, using expressions, or referencing other elements in the workspace such as attribute values or user parameters. Various editors and context menus are available to assist. To see what is available, click beside the applicable parameter.

How to Set Parameter Values

Defining Values

There are several ways to define a value for use in a Transformer. The simplest is to simply type in a value or string, which can include functions of various types such as attribute references, math and string functions, and workspace parameters.

Using the Text Editor

The Text Editor provides a convenient way to construct text strings (including regular expressions) from various data sources, such as attributes, parameters, and constants, where the result is used directly inside a parameter.

Text Editor

Using the Arithmetic Editor

The Arithmetic Editor provides a convenient way to construct math expressions from various data sources, such as attributes, parameters, and feature functions, where the result is used directly inside a parameter.

Arithmetic Editor

Conditional Values

Set values depending on one or more test conditions that either pass or fail.

Parameter Condition Definition Dialog

Content

Expressions and strings can include a number of functions, characters, parameters, and more.

When setting values - whether entered directly in a parameter or constructed using one of the editors - strings and expressions containing String, Math, Date/Time or FME Feature Functions will have those functions evaluated. Therefore, the names of these functions (in the form @<function_name>) should not be used as literal string values.

Content Types

String Functions	These functions manipulate and format strings.
Special Characters	A set of control characters is available in the Text Editor.
Math Functions	Math functions are available in both editors.
Date/Time Functions	Date and time functions are available in the Text Editor.
Math Operators	These operators are available in the Arithmetic Editor.
FME Feature Functions	These return primarily feature-specific values.
FME Parameters	FME and workspace-specific parameters may be used.
Creating and Modifying User Parameters	Create your own editable parameters.

Dialog Options - Tables

Table Tools

Transformers with table-style parameters have additional tools for populating and manipulating values.

Row Reordering

Enabled once you have clicked on a row item. Choices include:

Add a row
Remove a row
Move current row up one
Move current row down one
Move current row to top
Move current row to bottom

Cut, Copy, and Paste

Enabled once you have clicked on a row item. Choices include:

Cut a row - delete and copy to clipboard
Copy a row to the clipboard
Paste a row from the clipboard

Cut, copy, and paste may be used within a transformer, or between transformers.

Filter

Start typing a string, and the matrix will only display rows matching those characters. Searches all columns. This only affects the display of attributes within the transformer - it does not alter which attributes are output.

Import

Import populates the table with a set of new attributes read from a dataset. Specific application varies between transformers.

Reset/Refresh

Generally resets the table to its initial state, and may provide additional options to remove invalid entries. Behavior varies between transformers.

Note: Not all tools are available in all transformers.

For more information, see Transformer Parameter Menu Options.

FME Community

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