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--- transformations:sort [2014/10/03 07:42] – created dmitry
+++ transformations:sort [2021/03/29 01:19] – craigt
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-===== Sort =====
+{{ transformations:SortAction.png}}
+====== SORT ======
+Category: Transform / Basic\\
-Sort table by one or more columns in ascending or descending order.
+\\
+=====Description=====
+This action sorts the table by one or more columns in ascending or descending order. Order of the columns matters.
-In ascending order, the sort order is following:
+Since the values of a column can be of mixed types, the sorting order depends on the value type.  For ascending sorting, the order is the following:
   * Errors
   * Empty cells
@@ Line 10: / Line 14: @@
   * Numbers
-In descending order, the sort order is exactly opposite.
+In descending order, the sorting order is the reverse.\\
+\\
+=====Use cases=====
+  *To find the least/greatest amounts in a column. (numeric)
+  *To create an alphabetized list.  (text)
+  *To establish a date-time ordered list.  (date)
+  *To discover errors in a column by grouping them at the top/bottom of the column.  (error)
+\\
+=====Action settings=====
+^Setting^Description^
+|Columns|Select the column to arrange the values of. |
+|Sort order|Options:  //Ascending// and //Descending//.  This setting determines the order of the sort for the selected column.|
+Additional columns can be added to the sorting criteria by clicking the //Sort by more columns// option.\\
+\\
+=====Examples=====
+**Example 1 (single-column sort):**  Arrange the rivers in alphabetical order.
+**Source table:** The longest rivers in the world
+^River  ^Length (km)  ^Continent  ^
+| Nile  |  6650|Africa  |
+| Amazon  |  6400|South America  |
+| Yangtze  |  6300|Asia  |
+| Mississippi  |  6275|North America  |
+| Yenisei  |  5539|Asia  |
+| Yellow River  |  5464|Asia  |
+| Ob  |  5410|Asia  |
+| Paraná  |  4880|South America  |
+**Action parameters:**
+>  Column: River
+>  Sorting order: Ascending
+**Output table:**
+^River  ^Length (km)  ^Continent  ^
+| Amazon  |  6400|South America  |
+| Mississippi  |  6275|North America  |
+| Nile  |  6650|Africa  |
+| Ob  |  5410|Asia  |
+| Paraná  |  4880|South America  |
+| Yangtze  |  6300|Asia  |
+| Yellow River  |  5464|Asia  |
+| Yenisei  |  5539|Asia  |
+\\
+\\
+**Example 2 (two-column sort):**  Arrange values in ascending order by Continent, then River (using the source table above).
+**Action parameters:**
+>  Column, Sorting order: Continent, ascending
+>  Column, Sorting order: River, ascending
+**Output table:**
+^River  ^Length (km)  ^Continent  ^
+| Nile  |  6650|Africa  |
+| Ob  |  5410|Asia  |
+| Yangtze  |  6300|Asia  |
+| Yellow River  |  5464|Asia  |
+| Yenisei  |  5539|Asia  |
+| Mississippi  |  6275|North America  |
+| Amazon  |  6400|South America  |
+| Paraná  |  4880|South America  |
+\\
+=====Shortcuts=====
+Fast ways to create the action:\\
+  *Right-click on the heading of the column to sort and select "Sort".
+  *To sort by multiple columns, select the columns included in the sort.  Right-click on one of the selected column headings and select "Sort".  Columns will be sorted in left-to-right column order.