{smcl}
{* 01mar2004}{...}
{hline}
help for {hi:sortlistby}, {hi:sortlistby2}
{hline}

{title:Sort a list at random or by the values of an ancillary number list}

{p 8 15 2}
{cmd:sortlistby} {it:list} {cmd:,}
 { {cmdab:r:andom} | {cmd:by(}{it:numlist}{cmd:)} }
 [ {cmdab:a:sis} {cmdab:n:oisily} ]

{p 8 15 2}
{cmd:sortlistby2} {it:list} {cmd:,}
 { {cmdab:r:andom} | {cmd:by(}{it:numlist}{cmd:)} }
 [ {cmdab:a:sis} {cmdab:n:oisily} ]


{title:Description}

{p 4 4 2} {cmd:sortlistby} will sort the items in {it:list} at random or by the
values of an ancillary {it:numlist}. {cmd:sortlistby2} does the
same; however, it is a little bit faster if the number of items in {it:list} is small
(and much slower if the number is large).


{title:Options}

{p 4 8 2} {cmd:asis} specifies to take {it:list} as is. Default is to treat {it:list} as a
number list (see {help numlist}).

{p 4 8 2} {cmd:by(}{it:numlist}{cmd:)} specifies an ancillary number list
(see {help numlist}) according to the values of which {it:list} should be sorted.

{p 4 8 2} {cmd:noisily} displays the sorted list.

{p 4 8 2} {cmd:random} specifies to sort {it:list} at random.


{title:Examples}


{p 8 12 2} {cmd:. set seed 3273692} {p_end}
{p 8 12 2} {cmd:. sortlistby 1/1000, random}

{p 8 12 2} {cmd:. sortlistby a b c d e, by(1 5 2 4 3) asis noisily}{p_end}
{p 8 12 2} a c e d b


{title:Saved Results}

{p 4 4 2} Macros:

{p 4 17 2} {cmd:r(list)} sorted list


{title:Author}

{p 4 4 2} Ben Jann, ETH Zurich, jann@soz.gess.ethz.ch


{title:Also see}

{p 4 13 2} Online:  help for {help seed}, {help numlist}, {help macrolists}