Alphabetically Sort Structure Array - c++

Question

so I have a structure array with various variables.
struct Data
{
char name[11];
int ID;
int life;
int date;
float avgWindSpeed;
float avgRainFall;
int tornadoes;
int stormCategory;
};
I am looking to sort all the information based on char name[11]. The data that is stored in struct Data comes from a file named storms.txt. Currently, I have everything to make up perfectly but still struggling with sorting everything alphabetically. Also, I named my ofstream outfile and counter contains the total number of storms inside the file.
My current code is:
//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
//Start of Hurricane Level 1
int totalLevel1 = 0; //Will hold the number of storms that are level 1
//This is just setting the top part of the chart
outfile << setw(70) << "Hurricane Level 1" << endl << endl;
outfile << "Name" << setw(10) << "ID" << setw(20) << " Life " << setw(20) << " Average " << setw(20) << " Average " << setw(20) << "Tornadoes" << setw(19) << " Date " << endl;
outfile << " " << setw(10) << " " << setw(20) << "in days" << setw(20) << "wind speed" << setw(20) << "rain fall" << setw(20) << " spawned " << setw(20) << " " << endl;
outfile << endl << endl;
float avgLifeSpan, avgRainFall, avgTornadoes, avgWindSpeed, life = 0, rain= 0, tornado= 0, wind= 0;
//Starting to process the information and printing it in its proper location
for(int i = 0; i < counter; i++)
if(hurricanes[i].stormCategory == 1)
{
totalLevel1++;
life = life + hurricanes[i].life;
rain = rain + hurricanes[i].avgRainFall;
tornado = tornado + hurricanes[i].tornadoes;
wind = wind + hurricanes[i].avgWindSpeed;
outfile << hurricanes[i].name << setw(5) << hurricanes[i].ID << setw(15) << hurricanes[i].life << setw(21) << hurricanes[i].avgWindSpeed
<< setw(20) << hurricanes[i].avgRainFall << setw(19) << hurricanes[i].tornadoes << setw(21) << hurricanes[i].date << endl;
}
//Printing the extra information for HURRICANE LEVEL 1
outfile << endl << endl << "Total number of Level 1 hurricanes is " << totalLevel1 << "." << endl;
outfile << "Average Life span in days of Level 1 hurricanes is " << life / float(totalLevel1) << "." << endl;
outfile << "Average rain fall for Level 1 hurricanes is " << rain / float(totalLevel1) << "." << endl;
outfile << "Average tornadoes spawned for Level 1 hurricanes is " << tornado / float(totalLevel1) << "." << endl;
outfile << "Average wind speed for Level 1 hurricanes is " << wind / float(totalLevel1) << "." << endl;
outfile << endl << endl;
//End of the Hurricane Level 1
//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How to do I make so that everything that gets printed out on the output file is sorted alphabetically with its correct information? Could someone give me some suggestions?

Answer 1

It depends on how you've defined hurricanes. If it is a C array, then you'll be wanting something like this:
std::sort(hurricanes, hurricanes + counter,
[](const Data& a, const Data& b) { return std::strcmp(a.name, b.name) < 0; });
If however it is a std::vector or std::array, then...
std::sort(hurricanes.begin(), hurricanes.end(),
[](const Data& a, const Data& b) { return std::strcmp(a.name, b.name) < 0; });

Answer 2

I don't see what type of container you use ( I suggest to use std::vector), but you may do couple of nice things to make you life easier in this code.
First overload operators in Data structure like:
ostream& operator<<(ostream& os, const Data& a_data) for easily sending your struct to ostream (without need of encapsulating all it's members).
bool T::operator <(const T2 &b) const; , bool T::operator >(const T2 &b) const; : for comparison in standard algorithms.
Take look at reference : link You will write it only once but could use it in every part of program.
Second suggestion is to use std::sort algorithm to sort your data structure.
std::sort(hurricanes.begin(), hurricanes.end(), greater<Data>());
Syntax of your code will be much easier to understand and read for you wen you come back to project in 6 (or so) months.