Is the Javascript Array.sort function asynchronous? I wouldn't think so, but when I run the following code, it sure seems to be:

$('#alphabetical-order').data('sort-column', 'FileAlpha');

$('#first-numeric-order').data('sort-column', 'FileFirstNumeric');

$('#last-numeric-order').data('sort-column', 'FileLastNumeric');

$('#alphabetical-order, #first-numeric-order, #last-numeric-order').each(function() {

    var $this = $(this);

    $this.data('compare-function', function(row1, row2) {

        console.log('column = ' + $this.data('sort-column')); // >> DEBUG 1

        compareRowsBasedOnColumn(row1, row2, $this.data('sort-column'));

    });

}).click(function() {

    var $this = $(this);

    var $content = $('table.sheetlist-content tr.content');

    $content.sort($this.data('compare-function'));

    console.log('$content.sort complete'); // >> DEBUG 2

    $table_body = $('table.sheetlist-content tbody')

    $table_body.html('');



    for (i=0; i<$content.length; ++i) {

        $table_body.append($content[i]);

    }

    saveAll(); // which POSTs to our server

});

(I can provide compareRowsBasedOnColumn if needed, but it's pretty much what the name says.)

Running in Firefox with the Firebug debugger, I see the POST from my saveAll in the console before the DEBUG 2 above, interspersed with the DEBUG 1s, and I don't get my content effectively resorted. DEBUG 1 is giving me the results I'd expect.

Offhand, this makes sense only the Javascript Array.sort function is asynchronous.

If, indeed, it is asynchronous, can anyone suggest a good way to rewrite this, short of writing my own sort (I'd really rather stick with theirs, if only for clarity).