Sort databse

Sue · Post by **Sue** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 8:17 am

Can someone tell me why 'Sort database' in ref menu is dimmed?

Makes no difference whether I select references, or have no references selected.

Post by **Jon** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 9:11 am

You can only sort the actual, physical order of the database if a reference window is in front. This is for two reasons: (1) the physical order of the references is irrelevant in the List View (they are sorted by the first column, unually Author), and (2) it would be confusing to "sort the database" and have the List View unchanged.

FWIW, there is usually little reason to sort the database.

Jon
Sonny Software

tom · Post by **tom** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 10:11 am

Jon wrote:...(they are sorted by the first column, unually Author)

just an addition: the column header that you're clicking on sorts the list view. The position of the column doesn't matter.

tom

Post by **Jon** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 10:15 am

tom wrote:just an addition: the column header that you're clicking on sorts the list view. The position of the column doesn't matter.

Once a List View is open, that's true. But when it opens, before you have a chance to click on a column header, the list is initially sorted on the first column (and the date is the secondary sort).

Jon
Sonny Software

tom · Post by **tom** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 10:35 am

Jon wrote:
tom wrote:just an addition: the column header that you're clicking on sorts the list view. The position of the column doesn't matter.
Once a List View is open, that's true. But when it opens, before you have a chance to click on a column header, the list is initially sorted on the first column (and the date is the secondary sort).

yes, true. But you can close and reopen a database and the sort is kept. If you close and reopen BE the database is sorted on the first and second column...

Post by **Jon** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 10:39 am

tom wrote:But you can close and reopen a database and the sort is kept. If you close and reopen BE the database is sorted on the first and second column...

No, it's sorted on the first column and the date (which may or may not be the second column, or a column at all if you remove it in Preferences).

Jon
Sonny Software

tom · Post by **tom** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 10:47 am

another question:

the list view is sorted on the column when clicking on the header of it. But I find no way out to get a secondary order...

Post by **Jon** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 10:52 am

Right. If you click on the header, you get that column and no other.

Jon
Sonny Software

tom · Post by **tom** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 12:00 pm

would be a nice feature (to have a secondary order by e.g. shift-clicking a second column)....

Post by **Jon** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 12:03 pm

It's something I may add...there may be an overhaul of the list view sorting in the future to make it match more closely that of bibliographies.

Jon
Sonny Software