Sort a parallel array using Arrays.sort()

Question

Is it possible to sort an array using Arrays.sort() and thereafter have another related array positioned the same as the sorted array for example:

    String arrNames[] = new String[5];
    String arrCellNo[] = new String[arrNames.length];


    String arrNamesSorted[] = new String[arrNames.length];
    System.arraycopy(arrNames, 0, arrNamesSorted, 0, arrNames.length);
    Arrays.sort(arrNamesSorted);

From this point what i would like to do is sort the CellNo array such that if "person" had a cellNo "x", he will have the same "cellNo" "x" after the array arrNames is sorted

Answer 1

I would go for a different approach:

1. Create a new object:

   public class Person {
   private name;
   private cellNo;
   
   // Implement getters and setters
   }
   

2. Create a comparator:

   public MyComparator implements Comparator<Person> {
        public int compare(Person a, Person b) { 
   
              return a.getName().compareTo(b.getName());
        }
   }
   

3. Call Array.sort(persons, new MyComparator()) on a Person[] persons = ... array