Sort a list based on an item inside the list that is another list

Question

As the titel says, but it gets even more complicated. this is some example code

class person
prop name as string
prop age as int
prop properties as List(of ExtraProps)

class ExtraProps
prop key as string
prop value as string

so say that i want to sort a list of class person based on an object ExtraProps.value where the Key = "name"

do note that i am working in vs2005 and in version 2.0 of .NET

Answer 1

First i would like to thank @TimSchmelter For this answer. this works perfectly in .NET 2.0 and in VS2005.

Public Class TaskKeyComparer
Implements IComparer(Of Trimble_Planning.TaskData)

Private ReadOnly _keyComparison As StringComparison
Private ReadOnly _valueComparison As StringComparison
Private ReadOnly _key As String

Public Sub New(ByVal key As String, Optional ByVal keyComparison As StringComparison = StringComparison.CurrentCulture, Optional ByVal valueComparison As StringComparison = StringComparison.CurrentCulture)
    _key = key
    _keyComparison = keyComparison
    _valueComparison = valueComparison
End Sub

Public Function Compare(ByVal x As person, ByVal y As person) As Integer Implements IComparer(Of person).Compare
    If x Is Nothing AndAlso y Is Nothing Then Return 0
    If x Is Nothing OrElse y Is Nothing Then Return CInt(IIf(x Is Nothing, -1, 1))
    If x.properties Is Nothing AndAlso y.properties Is Nothing Then Return 0
    If x.properties Is Nothing OrElse y.properties Is Nothing Then Return CInt(IIf(x.properties  Is Nothing, -1, 1))

    Dim xKeyValue As String = Nothing
    Dim yKeyValue As String = Nothing
    For Each prop As ExtraProps In x.properties 
        If String.Equals(prop.key, _key, _keyComparison) Then
            xKeyValue = prop.value
            Exit For
        End If
    Next
    For Each prop As ExtraProps In y.properties 
        If String.Equals(prop.key, _key, _keyComparison) Then
            yKeyValue = prop.value
            Exit For
        End If
    Next
    Return String.Compare(xKeyValue, yKeyValue, _valueComparison)
End Function
End Class

then use it like this

personList.Sort(New TaskKeyComparer("name"))