$6.$ Index sorting of strings in a cell array can also be accomplished with the built$-$in MATLAB sorting functions if a second optional output argument is specified when calling the function:

$>>[$y$,$J$]=$ sort$($x$)$ or $>>[$y$,$J$]=$ sortrows$($x$)$

Here, J is the index vector and y is the sorted version of cell array x$,$ where y $=$ x$\{$J$\}.$ One important disadvantage of sort is that while it will accept a cell array of strings, or a regular $($double$)$ array of numbers, it will not accept a cell array of numbers.

The built$-$in sortrows function, on the other hand, has the advantage of accepting a cell array of either strings or numbers $($note for Octave users: this is not true for Octave$$s sortrows function$).$ One potential issue with sortrows is that by default it sorts down a column. Note