How to sort the select2 (jQuery plugin) options alphabetically?
javascript, jquery, jquery-select2
Solution
Select2 API v3.x (`sortResults`)
You can sort elements using `sortResults` callback option with `String.localeCompare()`:
$( '#mylist' ).select2({
/* Sort data using localeCompare */
sortResults: data => data.sort((a, b) => a.text.localeCompare(b.text)),
});
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/select2/3.5.4/select2.min.css" integrity="sha256-ijlUKKj3hJCiiT2HWo1kqkI79NTEYpzOsw5Rs3k42dI=" crossorigin="anonymous" /><script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.2.1/jquery.min.js" integrity="sha256-hwg4gsxgFZhOsEEamdOYGBf13FyQuiTwlAQgxVSNgt4=" crossorigin="anonymous"></script><script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/select2/3.5.4/select2.min.js" integrity="sha256-7A2MDY2eGSSUvgfbuH1IdzYk8qkEd3uzwiXADqPDdtY=" crossorigin="anonymous"></script>
<select name="list" id="mylist" style="width:140px;">
<option>United States</option>
<option>Austria</option>
<option>Alabama</option>
<option>Jamaica</option>
<option>Taiwan</option>
<option>canada</option>
<option>palau</option>
<option>Wyoming</option>
</select>
Select2 API v4.0 (`sorter`)
You can sort elements using `sorter` callback option:
$('#mylist').select2({
sorter: data => data.sort((a, b) => a.text.localeCompare(b.text)),
});
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/select2/4.0.5/css/select2.css" integrity="sha256-xqxV4FDj5tslOz6MV13pdnXgf63lJwViadn//ciKmIs=" crossorigin="anonymous" /><script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.2.1/jquery.min.js" integrity="sha256-hwg4gsxgFZhOsEEamdOYGBf13FyQuiTwlAQgxVSNgt4=" crossorigin="anonymous"></script><script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/select2/4.0.5/js/select2.min.js" integrity="sha256-FA14tBI8v+/1BtcH9XtJpcNbComBEpdawUZA6BPXRVw=" crossorigin="anonymous"></script>
<select name="list" id="mylist" style="width:140px;">
<option>United States</option>
<option>Austria</option>
<option>Alabama</option>
<option>Jamaica</option>
<option>Taiwan</option>
<option>canada</option>
<option>palau</option>
<option>Wyoming</option>
</select>
Without jQuery
I had another general purpose approach (you can use value or an attribute for sorting elements) without using jQuery:
var select = document.getElementById("mylist");
var options = [];
// Get elements to sort
document.querySelectorAll('#mylist > option').forEach(
option => options.push(option)
);
// Empty select
while (select.firstChild) {
select.removeChild(select.firstChild);
}
// Sort array using innerText (of each option node)
options.sort(
(a, b) => a.innerText.localeCompare(b.innerText)
);
// Add the nodes again in order
for (var i in options) {
select.appendChild(options[i]);
}
<select name="list" id="mylist" style="width:140px;">
<option>United States</option>
<option>Austria</option>
<option>Alabama</option>
<option>Jamaica</option>
<option>Taiwan</option>
<option>canada</option>
<option>palau</option>
<option>Wyoming</option>
</select>
With jQuery
Thanks @Narendra Sisodia for jQuery tip:
/* Get options */
var selectList = $('#mylist > option');
/* Order by innerText (case insensitive) */
selectList.sort(
(a, b) => a.innerText.localeCompare(b.innerText)
);
/* Re-do select HTML */
$('#mylist').html(selectList);
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.2.1/jquery.min.js" integrity="sha256-hwg4gsxgFZhOsEEamdOYGBf13FyQuiTwlAQgxVSNgt4=" crossorigin="anonymous"></script>
<select name="list" id="mylist" style="width:140px;">
<option>United States</option>
<option>Austria</option>
<option>Alabama</option>
<option>Jamaica</option>
<option>Taiwan</option>
<option>canada</option>
<option>palau</option>
<option>Wyoming</option>
</select>
Problem
I want to sort the select2 options in alphabetical order. I have the following code and would like to know, how can this be achieved: ``` <select name="list" id="mylist" style="width:140px;"> <option>United States</option> <option>Austria</option> <option>Alabama</option> <option>Jamaica</option> <option>Taiwan</option> <option>canada</option> <option>palau</option> <option>Wyoming</option> </select> $('#mylist').select2({ sortResults: function(results) { return results.sort(); } }); ``` I want to sort the data via 'text'.