[boost] Interest in a function object to sort strings more naturally?

From: Andy Tompkins (atompkins_at_[hidden])
Date: 2005-12-22 11:01:42

I have written a function object to sort string alpha-numerically.  If a
string contains a number, that part is converted to an int and compared
as ints.  Thus "2" comes before "10".

For example the list {a1, a10, a11, a2} would be sorted as {a1, a2, a10,
a11}

Example use code:
{
  vector<string> my_list;
  //populate list

  sort(my_list.begin(), my_list.end(), lt_alphanum<char>());
}

The class lt_alphanum splits the strings into sections containing
digits,
and non-digits.  It then compares successive sections such that if two
sections both contain digits, they are converted to ints and compared. 
Otherwise the sections are compared normally.

I hope I am being clear.

Andy Tompkins