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Substring Sort

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Given n strings, we need to sort those strings such that every string is a substring of all strings after it. If not possible to sort, then print the same.

Examples: 

Input : {"d", "zddsaaz", "ds", "ddsaa", "dds"}
Output :
    d
    ds
    dds
    ddsaa
    zddsaaz

Input : {"geeks", "ee", "geeksforgeeks", "forgeeks", "ee"}
Output :
    ee
    ee
    geeks
    forgeeks
    geeksforgeeks
  • Observation 1:
    • If A substring of B 
    • Then length of A <= length of B
  • Observation 2:
    • If (A substring of B ) and (B substring of C) 
    • Then A substring of C

Solution:

Based on the two above observations, the solutions is as follows 

  1. Sort all the string from the shorter to the longer
  2. Validate that each string is a substring of the following string

If we validate that each string is a substring of the following string then based on observation 2, each string is a substring of all the strings come after it. 

Implementation:

C++




// C++ code to sort substrings
#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
 
bool compare(string s1, string s2)
{
    return s1.length() < s2.length();
}
 
void substringSort(string arr[], int n)
{
    // sort the given array from shorter string to longer
    sort(arr, arr + n, compare); // validate that each
                                 // string is a substring of
    // the following one
    for (int i = 0; i < n - 1; i++) {
        if (arr[i + 1].find(arr[i]) == string::npos) {
 
            // the array can't be sorted
            cout << "Cannot be sorted";
            return;
        }
    }
 
    // The array is valid and sorted
    // print the strings in order
    for (int i = 0; i < n-1; i++) {
        cout << arr[i] << endl;
    }
}
 
int main()
{
    // Test 1
    string arr1[]
        = { "d", "zddsaaz", "ds", "ddsaa", "dds" };
    substringSort(arr1,
                  sizeof(arr1) / sizeof(arr1[0])); // Test 2
    string arr2[] = { "for", "rof" };
    substringSort(arr2, sizeof(arr2) / sizeof(arr2[0]));
 
    return 0;
}


Java




// Java code to sort substrings
import java.util.Arrays;
import java.util.Comparator;
 
public class Demo {
    public static void substringSort(String[] arr, int n)
    {
        // sort the given array from shorter string to longer
        Arrays.sort(arr, new Comparator<String>() {
            public int compare(String s1, String s2)
            {
                return Integer.compare(s1.length(), s2.length());
            }
        });
 
        // validate that each string is a substring of
        // the following one'
        for (int i = 0; i < n - 1; i++) {
            if (!arr[i + 1].contains(arr[i])) {
 
                // the array can't be sorted
                System.out.println("Cannot be sorted");
                return;
            }
        }
 
        // The array is valid and sorted
        // print the strings in order
        for (int i = 0; i < n - 1; i++) {
            System.out.println(arr[i]);
        }
    }
 
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        // Test 1
        String[] arr1 = { "d", "zddsaaz", "ds", "ddsaa", "dds" };
        substringSort(arr1, arr1.length);
 
        // Test 2
        String[] arr2 = { "for", "rof" };
        substringSort(arr2, arr2.length);
    }
}


Python3




# Python code to sort substrings
import functools
 
def substringSort(arr, n):
    # sort the given array from shorter string to longer
    arr.sort(key=len)
     
    # validate that each string is a substring of
    # the following one
    for i in range(n - 1):
        if not arr[i + 1].find(arr[i]) != -1:
            # the array cannot be sorted
            print("Cannot be sorted")
            return
 
    # the array is valid and sorted
    # print the strings in order
    for i in range(n - 1):
        print(arr[i])
 
# Test 1
arr1 = ["d", "zddsaaz", "ds", "ddsaa", "dds"]
substringSort(arr1, len(arr1))
 
# Test 2
arr2 = ["for", "rof"]
substringSort(arr2, len(arr2))


C#




using System;
using System.Linq;
 
public class Demo
{
    public static void SubstringSort(string[] arr, int n)
    {
        // sort the given array from shorter string to longer
        Array.Sort(arr, (s1, s2) => s1.Length.CompareTo(s2.Length));
 
        // validate that each string is a substring of
        // the following one'
        for (int i = 0; i < n - 1; i++)
        {
            if (!arr[i + 1].Contains(arr[i]))
            {
                // the array can't be sorted
                Console.WriteLine("Cannot be sorted");
                return;
            }
        }
 
        // The array is valid and sorted
        // print the strings in order
        for (int i = 0; i < n - 1; i++)
        {
            Console.WriteLine(arr[i]);
        }
    }
 
    public static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        // Test 1
        string[] arr1 = { "d", "zddsaaz", "ds", "ddsaa", "dds" };
        SubstringSort(arr1, arr1.Length);
 
        // Test 2
        string[] arr2 = { "for", "rof" };
        SubstringSort(arr2, arr2.Length);
    }
}


Javascript




// JavaScript code to sort substrings
function substringSort(arr, n) {
    // sort the given array from shorter string to longer
    arr.sort(function(s1, s2) {
    return s1.length - s2.length;
    });
 
    // validate that each string is a substring of
    // the following one
        for (let i = 0; i < n - 1; i++) {
        if (!arr[i + 1].includes(arr[i])) {
 
      // the array can't be sorted
      console.log("Cannot be sorted");
      return;
    }
 
    }
 
    // The array is valid and sorted
    // print the strings in order
    for (let i = 0; i < n - 1; i++) {
    console.log(arr[i]);
    }
}
 
// Test 1
let arr1 = ["d", "zddsaaz", "ds", "ddsaa", "dds"];
substringSort(arr1, arr1.length);
 
// Test 2
let arr2 = ["for", "rof"];
substringSort(arr2, arr2.length);


Output

d
ds
dds
ddsaa
Cannot be sorted

Time Complexity: O(n log n), where n is the number of strings.

Space Complexity: O(1) as no extra space has been taken.

Alternative approach:

For better time complexity, we can use counting sort only if the maximum length of the strings is specified. 

Suppose that ‘maxLen’ is the maximum length of the input strings. In this case, the solution is as follows:

  1. Create array of length maxLen
  2. Sort the input strings such that the string with length 1 is in the first place in the array
  3. If there is two or more string has the same length they must be equal otherwise the strings cannot be sorted
  4. Validate that each string is a substring of the next longer string

Implementation:

C++




// C++ Program to sort substrings
#include <bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
 
void substringSort(string arr[], int n, int maxLen)
{
 
    int count[maxLen];
    string sortedArr[maxLen];
    for(int i = 0; i < maxLen; i++)
    {
        count[i] = 0;
        sortedArr[i] = "";
    }
 
    // sort the input array
    for (int i = 0; i < n; i++)
    {
 
        string s = arr[i];
        int len = s.length();
 
        if (count[len - 1] == 0)
        {
            sortedArr[len - 1] = s;
            count[len - 1] = 1;
        }
        else if (sortedArr[len - 1] == s)
        {
 
            // repeated length should
            // be the same string
            count[len - 1]++;
        }
        else
        {
 
            // two different strings with the same
            // length input array cannot be sorted
            cout << "Cannot be sorted";
            return;
        }
    }
 
    // validate that each string is a
    // substring of the following one
    int index = 0;
 
    // get first element
    while (count[index] == 0)
        index++;
 
    int prev = index;
    string prevString = sortedArr[prev];
 
    index++;
 
    for (; index < maxLen; index++)
    {
 
        if (count[index] != 0)
        {
            string current = sortedArr[index];
            if (current.find(prevString) != string::npos)
            {
                prev = index;
                prevString = current;
            }
            else
            {
                cout << "Cannot be sorted";
                return;
            }
        }
    }
 
    // The array is valid and sorted
    // print the strings in order
    for (int i = 0; i < maxLen; i++)
    {
        string s = sortedArr[i];
        for (int j = 0; j < count[i]; j++)
        {
            cout << s << endl;
        }
    }
}
 
// Driver code
int main()
{
    int maxLen = 100;
  
    // Test 1
    string arr1[] = { "d", "zddsaaz", "ds", "ddsaa",
                                   "dds", "dds" };
    substringSort(arr1, sizeof(arr1)/sizeof(arr1[0]), maxLen);
 
    // Test 2
    string arr2[] = { "for", "rof" };
    substringSort(arr2, sizeof(arr2)/sizeof(arr2[0]), maxLen);
 
    return 0;
}
 
// This code is contributed by rameshtravel07.


Java




// Alternative code to sort substrings
import java.util.Arrays;
 
public class Demo {
 
    public static void substringSort(String[] arr, int n, int maxLen)
    {
 
        int count[] = new int[maxLen];
        String[] sortedArr = new String[maxLen];
 
        Arrays.fill(count, 0);
        Arrays.fill(sortedArr, "");
 
        // sort the input array
        for (int i = 0; i < n; i++) {
 
            String s = arr[i];
            int len = s.length();
 
            if (count[len - 1] == 0) {
                sortedArr[len - 1] = s;
                count[len - 1] = 1;
            }
            else if (sortedArr[len - 1].equals(s)) {
 
                // repeated length should be the same string
                count[len - 1]++;
            }
            else {
 
                // two different strings with the same
                // length input array cannot be sorted
                System.out.println("Cannot be sorted");
                return;
            }
        }
 
        // validate that each string is a substring
        // of the following one
        int index = 0;
 
        // get first element
        while (count[index] == 0)
            index++;
 
        int prev = index;
        String prevString = sortedArr[prev];
 
        index++;
 
        for (; index < maxLen; index++) {
 
            if (count[index] != 0) {
                String current = sortedArr[index];
                if (current.contains(prevString)) {
                    prev = index;
                    prevString = current;
                }
                else {
                    System.out.println("Cannot be sorted");
                    return;
                }
            }
        }
 
        // The array is valid and sorted
        // print the strings in order
        for (int i = 0; i < maxLen; i++) {
            String s = sortedArr[i];
            for (int j = 0; j < count[i]; j++) {
                System.out.println(s);
            }
        }
    }
 
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        int maxLen = 100;
 
        // Test 1
        String[] arr1 = { "d", "zddsaaz", "ds", "ddsaa",
                                       "dds", "dds" };
        substringSort(arr1, arr1.length, maxLen);
 
        // Test 2
        String[] arr2 = { "for", "rof" };
        substringSort(arr2, arr2.length, maxLen);
    }
}


Python3




# Alternative code to sort substrings
def substringSort(arr, n, maxLen):
 
    count = [0]*(maxLen)
    sortedArr = [""]*(maxLen)
 
    # sort the input array
    for i in range(n):
 
        s = arr[i]
        Len = len(s)
 
        if (count[Len - 1] == 0) :
            sortedArr[Len - 1] = s
            count[Len - 1] = 1
        elif (sortedArr[Len - 1] == s):
            # repeated length should be the same string
            count[Len - 1]+=1
        else:
            # two different strings with the same
            # length input array cannot be sorted
            print("Cannot be sorted")
            return
 
    # validate that each string is a substring
    # of the following one
    index = 0
 
    # get first element
    while (count[index] == 0):
        index+=1
 
    prev = index
    prevString = sortedArr[prev]
 
    index+=1
     
    while index < maxLen:
        if (count[index] != 0) :
            current = sortedArr[index]
            if (prevString in current):
                prev = index
                prevString = current
            else:
                print("Cannot be sorted")
                return
        index+=1
 
    # The array is valid and sorted
    # print the strings in order
    for i in range(maxLen):
        s = sortedArr[i]
        for j in range(count[i]):
            print(s)
 
maxLen = 100
   
# Test 1
arr1 = [ "d", "zddsaaz", "ds", "ddsaa", "dds", "dds" ]
substringSort(arr1, len(arr1), maxLen)
 
# Test 2
arr2 = [ "for", "rof" ]
substringSort(arr2, len(arr2), maxLen)
 
# This code is contributed by mukesh07.


C#




// C# Program to sort substrings
using System;
 
class GFG
{
 
    public static void substringSort(String[] arr,
                                int n, int maxLen)
    {
 
        int []count = new int[maxLen];
        String[] sortedArr = new String[maxLen];
        for(int i = 0; i < maxLen; i++)
        {
            count[i] = 0;
            sortedArr[i] = "";
 
        }
 
        // sort the input array
        for (int i = 0; i < n; i++)
        {
 
            String s = arr[i];
            int len = s.Length;
 
            if (count[len - 1] == 0)
            {
                sortedArr[len - 1] = s;
                count[len - 1] = 1;
            }
            else if (ReferenceEquals(s,sortedArr[len - 1]))
            {
 
                // repeated length should
                // be the same string
                count[len - 1]++;
            }
            else
            {
 
                // two different strings with the same
                // length input array cannot be sorted
                Console.WriteLine("Cannot be sorted");
                return;
            }
        }
 
        // validate that each string is a 
        // substring of the following one
        int index = 0;
 
        // get first element
        while (count[index] == 0)
            index++;
 
        int prev = index;
        String prevString = sortedArr[prev];
 
        index++;
 
        for (; index < maxLen; index++)
        {
 
            if (count[index] != 0)
            {
                String current = sortedArr[index];
                if (current.Contains(prevString))
                {
                    prev = index;
                    prevString = current;
                }
                else
                {
                    Console.WriteLine("Cannot be sorted");
                    return;
                }
            }
        }
 
        // The array is valid and sorted
        // print the strings in order
        for (int i = 0; i < maxLen; i++)
        {
            String s = sortedArr[i];
            for (int j = 0; j < count[i]; j++)
            {
                Console.WriteLine(s);
            }
        }
    }
 
    public static void Main(String[] args)
    {
        int maxLen = 100;
 
        // Test 1
        String[] arr1 = { "d", "zddsaaz", "ds", "ddsaa",
                                    "dds", "dds" };
        substringSort(arr1, arr1.Length, maxLen);
 
        // Test 2
        String[] arr2 = { "for", "rof" };
        substringSort(arr2, arr2.Length, maxLen);
    }
}
 
// This code is contributed by PrinciRaj1992


Javascript




<script>
    // Alternative code to sort substrings
     
    function substringSort(arr, n, maxLen)
    {
  
        let count = new Array(maxLen);
        let sortedArr = new Array(maxLen);
  
        count.fill(0);
        for(let i = 0; i < maxLen; i++)
        {
            sortedArr[i] = "";
        }
  
        // sort the input array
        for (let i = 0; i < n; i++) {
  
            let s = arr[i];
            let len = s.length;
  
            if (count[len - 1] == 0) {
                sortedArr[len - 1] = s;
                count[len - 1] = 1;
            }
            else if (sortedArr[len - 1] == s) {
  
                // repeated length should be the same string
                count[len - 1]++;
            }
            else {
  
                // two different strings with the same
                // length input array cannot be sorted
                document.write("Cannot be sorted" + "</br>");
                return;
            }
        }
  
        // validate that each string is a substring
        // of the following one
        let index = 0;
  
        // get first element
        while (count[index] == 0)
            index++;
  
        let prev = index;
        let prevString = sortedArr[prev];
  
        index++;
  
        for (; index < maxLen; index++) {
  
            if (count[index] != 0) {
                let current = sortedArr[index];
                if (current.includes(prevString)) {
                    prev = index;
                    prevString = current;
                }
                else {
                    document.write("Cannot be sorted");
                    return;
                }
            }
        }
  
        // The array is valid and sorted
        // print the strings in order
        for (let i = 0; i < maxLen; i++) {
            let s = sortedArr[i];
            for (let j = 0; j < count[i]; j++) {
                document.write(s + "</br>");
            }
        }
    }
     
    let maxLen = 100;
  
    // Test 1
    let arr1 = [ "d", "zddsaaz", "ds", "ddsaa",
                     "dds", "dds" ];
    substringSort(arr1, arr1.length, maxLen);
 
    // Test 2
    let arr2 = [ "for", "rof" ];
    substringSort(arr2, arr2.length, maxLen);
 
// This code is contributed by decode2207.
</script>


Output

d
ds
dds
dds
ddsaa
zddsaaz
Cannot be sorted


Last Updated : 06 Apr, 2023
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