%-------------------------------------%
% Lab9 p.3                            %
% Date: 11/5/02                       %
%                                     %
% Gun Srijuntongsiri                  %
% gs61                                %
% ??????                              %
%-------------------------------------%

% Variables
% ---------
%  tmpdata   = cell containing the series of user-inputted strings
%  data      = array containing the series of (padded) strings
%  maxlength = the length of the longest string
%  minidx    = the index of currently "smallest" string

tmpdata = {};    % Begin with no string
num = 0;      % same with num

% Ask for first string
str=input('Enter a string (empty string to quit): ','s');

% While the inputted string is not empty
while ~isempty(str)
    num=num+1;           % increase num
    tmpdata{num}=str;       % put the string into data

    % Ask for next string
    str=input('Enter a string (empty string to quit): ','s');
    
end

data = char(tmpdata);      % Convert to normal arrays and pad all strings to 
                           %   the same length.
maxlength = size(data,2);  % Max length of all strings

for i=1:num-1
    minidx = i;
    for j=i+1:num
        k=1;             % Begin comparing from the first letter

        % If the current characters are the same, compare the next one.
        while k<=maxlength & data(minidx,k)==data(j,k)
            k=k+1;
        end

        % If the strings are not exactly equal, and the minidx-th is larger,
        if k<maxlength & data(minidx,k)>data(j,k) 
            minidx = j;                  % Let the j-th string be the minimum.
        end
    end
    tmp = data(minidx,:);
    data(minidx,:) = data(i,:);
    data(i,:) = tmp;
end

disp('Below is the sorted series of strings.');
disp(data)