Compare method
Either you implement a compare-method for your object:
-(NSComparisonResult)compare:(Person*)otherObject {return[self.birthDate compare:otherObject.birthDate];}NSArray*sortedArray;
sortedArray =[drinkDetails sortedArrayUsingSelector:@selector(compare:)];
NSSortDescriptor (better)
or usually even better:
NSSortDescriptor*sortDescriptor;
sortDescriptor =[[[NSSortDescriptor alloc] initWithKey:@"birthDate"
ascending:YES] autorelease];NSArray*sortDescriptors =[NSArray arrayWithObject:sortDescriptor];NSArray*sortedArray;
sortedArray =[drinkDetails sortedArrayUsingDescriptors:sortDescriptors];
You can easily sort by multiple keys by adding more than one to the array. Using custom comparator-methods is possible as well. Have a look at the documentation.
Blocks (shiny!)
There's also the possibility of sorting with a block since Mac OS X 10.6 and iOS 4:
NSArray*sortedArray;
sortedArray =[drinkDetails sortedArrayUsingComparator:^NSComparisonResult(id a, id b){NSDate*first =[(Person*)a birthDate];NSDate*second =[(Person*)b birthDate];return[first compare:second];}];