Arranging terms by the values of numerical coefficients

Question

I have a list with elements of the form myList = {c1 F1, c2 F2, c3 F3, ...} where c1, c2, ... are explicitly integers, and F1,F2,F3 are symbolic expressions.

How do I sort this list by the absolute values of the integers?

That is for the input {F1, 10 F2, -9 F3} the desired output is {10 F2, -9 F3, F1}

Answer 1

Clear["Global`*"]

lst = {F1, 10 F2, -9 F3, 99 F4, -23 F5};

For version 12

ReverseSortBy[lst,
 (# /. Times[n : _Integer : 1, _] :> Abs[n]) &]

(* {99 F4, -23 F5, 10 F2, -9 F3, F1} *)

For earlier versions

Reverse@SortBy[lst,
  (# /. Times[n : _Integer : 1, _] :> Abs[n]) &]

(* {99 F4, -23 F5, 10 F2, -9 F3, F1} *)

EDIT: Or slightly simpler

SortBy[lst,
 (# /. Times[n : _Integer : 1, _] :> -Abs[n]) &]

(* {99 F4, -23 F5, 10 F2, -9 F3, F1} *)

Answer 2

quick stab at it. I suspect there is better way to do this. (using Associations)

Clear["Global`*"];
lst = {F1, 10 F2, -9 F3 };
lst0 = (If[Head[#] === Symbol, {1, #}, {First[#], Rest[#]}] &) /@ lst;
lst0 = SortBy[lst0, Abs[First[#]] &, Greater];
Times @@@ lst0

For lst = {F1, 10 F2, -9 F3 , 99 F4, -23 F5}; it gives

This assumes in your list there are no entry with just a single number in it, each entry in the list has the form $c_i F_i$ or $F_i$, where $F_i$ is a symbol and $c_i$ is a number.