Allow order keyword to sort for sorting record arrays.

1 files changed, 18 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/numpy/core/_internal.py b/numpy/core/_internal.py
index fa46a918b..3684ba492 100644
--- a/numpy/core/_internal.py
+++ b/numpy/core/_internal.py
@@ -267,3 +267,21 @@ class _ctypes(object):
     shape = property(get_shape, None, doc="c-types shape")
     strides = property(get_strides, None, doc="c-types strides")
     _as_parameter_ = property(get_as_parameter, None, doc="_as parameter_")
+
+
+# Given a datatype and an order object
+#  return a new names tuple
+#  with the order indicated
+def _newnames(datatype, order):
+    oldnames = datatype.names
+    nameslist = list(oldnames)
+    if isinstance(order, str):
+        order = [order]
+    if isinstance(order, (list, tuple)):
+        for name in order:
+            try:
+                nameslist.remove(name)
+            except ValueError:
+                raise ValueError, "unknown field name: %s" % (name,)
+        return tuple(list(order) + nameslist)
+    raise ValueError, "unsupported order value: %s" % (order,)