Symmetry Partition Sort

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a useful replacement for quicksort‐style utility functions. The replacement is called Symmetry Partition Sort, the principle of which is similar to that of Proportion Extend Sort. The main characteristic of the new algorithm is that it always places partially sorted inputs (used as a basis for proportional extensions) at each end of an array when entering the partitioning routine. This is advantageous in speeding up the processing for partitioning. The library function we developed based on the new algorithm is more attractive than the Psort library function introduced in 2004 because of its simple implementation mechanism, clearer source code, and faster operation with a performance guarantee of O(n log n). Increased robustness and adaptivity also make it highly competitive as a library function. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.