Sorting a two-dimensional integer array

Question

I have a 2-D array that looks simliar to this:
1 0 0 0
1 1 0 0
2 0 0 0
2 1 1 1
1 2 1 0
2 1 2 0
3 1 1 1
4 1 0 0
2 1 1 2
.I am trying to come up with an algorithm that will sort this array by the first column, then the second, then the third, then the fourth. But I'm stumped. The array above should look like this when sorted:
1 0 0 0
1 1 0 0
1 2 1 0
2 0 0 0
2 1 1 1
2 1 1 2
2 1 2 0
3 1 1 1
4 1 0 0I've been able to sort 2-D arrays with only two columns, but this has been a new challenge for me. I've been able to come up with a brute force approach but it doesn't seem to work, nor is it very efficient. Any suggestions on how to approach this problem would be a great help.

Answer 1

An 2-D array is simply an array of arrays, so you should be able to use a simple Comparator:
class ArrayIntComparator implements Comparator
    public int compare(Object  o1, Object o2)
         int[] arr1 = (int[]) o1;
         int[] arr2 = (int[]) o2;
         for (int i=0; i<=arr1.length; ++i)
            if (arr1[i]  != arr2)
return(arr2[i] - arr1[i]);
return 0;
int[][] arr2d = ...
Arrays.sort(arr2d, new ArrayIntComparator());
Didn't compile it, but it oughta give you a close start.