Order a data frame using character and numeric columns

Question

I have a dataframe:

 df <- data.frame(c(name = "FORT DUNCAN", "DETAR HOSPITAL", "CYPRESS FAIRBANKS","MISSION REGIONAL", "Test"), rate = c(8.0,8.7,8.7,8.1,8.9))
colnames(df) = c("name","rate")
ordered_df <- df[order(df[,2]),]

               name rate
1       FORT DUNCAN  8.0
4  MISSION REGIONAL  8.1
2    DETAR HOSPITAL  8.7
3 CYPRESS FAIRBANKS  8.7
5              Test  8.9

I can clearly order the dataframe by the rate variable. However, If two rates are similar then I want to order by name. ie Detar Hospital and Cypress Fairbanks have the same rate of 8.7. Therefore, I want Cypress Fairbanks to move up and Detar Hospital to move down and Test should remain at its place (The last place according to the rate)... Any ideas???

Cheers

Answer 1

Since order accepts many variables via ... you can do the following:

> df[order(df[,2],df[,1] ),]
               name rate
1       FORT DUNCAN  8.0
4  MISSION REGIONAL  8.1
3 CYPRESS FAIRBANKS  8.7
2    DETAR HOSPITAL  8.7
5              Test  8.9

Answer 2

I think I fixed it by:

ordered_df <- df[order(df$rate, df$name),]

Cheers