Is there a built-in function to SEARCH a sorted array?

[theSeeker03]

like, if I have a sorted array of strings and I want to know if string "hi" is in it. I could obviously just loop through every cell, but that would not be time effecient. Is there a built-in function that searches for a value and takes advantage of the fact that array is sorted?

 

[MikeLacey]

no, sorry

you could write a binary chop search fairly easily that would speed things up considerably though, for larger arrays anwyay - for shorter arrays (a few hundred elements?) it might well be faster just to zip through the array.

Mike

Want to get great answers to your Tek-Tips questions? Have a look at faq219-2884

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[tanderso]

Use a hash instead.

Sincerely,

Tom Anderson
Order amid Chaos, Inc.

http://www.oac-design.com