How to sort a list based on the number within each LI.span?

Here is what you should use:

function sortEm(a, b) {
  return parseInt($('span', a).text()) < parseInt($('span', b).text()) ? 1 : -1;
}

$('li').sort(sortEm).prependTo($('ul#test'));
ul {
  width: 200px;
  background-color: #252525;
  padding: 10px;
}

li {
  background-color: #353535;
  margin: 10px;
  padding: 5px;
  color: #fff;
}

li span {
  float: right;
}
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.3.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<ul id="test">

  <li> Cups
    <span>12</span>
  </li>

  <li> Plates
    <span>18</span>
  </li>

  <li> Forks
    <span>03</span>
  </li>

  <li> Knives
    <span>06</span>
  </li>

  <li> Bowls
    <span>08</span>
  </li>

</ul>


You should fill an array with all the <li> elements, sort this array using sort(), then empty() the list add append() the sorted elements.

Something like this :

$("#doSort").click(function() {
  // store the li items
  var items = $('ul li').get();

  items.sort(function(a, b) {
    var valueA = $(a).find("span").text();
    var valueB = $(b).find("span").text();

    if (valueA < valueB) return -1;
    if (valueA > valueB) return 1;
    return 0;
  });
  // clear the list and re-add sorted items on button click 
  $("ul").empty().append(items);
});
ul {
  width: 200px;
  background-color: #252525;
  padding: 10px;
}

li {
  background-color: #353535;
  margin: 10px;
  padding: 5px;
  color: #fff;
}

li span {
  float: right;
}
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.3.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<ul>
  <li> Cups
    <span>12</span>
  </li>

  <li> Plates
    <span>18</span>
  </li>

  <li> Forks
    <span>03</span>
  </li>

  <li> Knives
    <span>06</span>
  </li>

  <li> Bowls
    <span>08</span>
  </li>

</ul>

<button id="doSort">Sort this list!</button>

Tags:

Javascript

Sorting

Jquery

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