Sort options

You can change the direction of the sort if it is a Simple sort.

Sort order is not applicable to Grouping sorts.

So for example a Simple sort on Proc Time with Forward sort order will move the highest proc times (oldest tests) to the top.   If you were to select Reverse sort order the newest tests would move to the top.

A simple sort is a quick alphabetical/numerical sort applied to the selected field.  

Theoretically the simple sort is faster than a grouping sort.

You cannot opt to insert a space with the simple sort.

A grouping sort will move all fields matching the text you type in the box to the top of the list.

With grouping sorts you can have the program insert a space between matching and non-matching fields to help organize the list.

You have the option to sort in Forward or Reverse order (simple sorts only).

 

Choose which field to sort on.

 

With a grouping sort, text matching this string will be moved to the top.   The previous sort order is preserved with grouping sorts.

Say you want to sort by location and have all tests from ER at the top of the list.   If your ER location is 'ER1' you would enter 'ER1' here.

If you additionally want to sort by priority, putting all stats to the top, you can add another sort below or above the ER sort.   You would enter 'S' for stat (or whatever your stat code is), and it will move all the 'S' priorities to the top of the list.

There are two ways for the grouping sort to work.   With strict matching, the comparison string must match exactly for the sort to apply.   So for example if you specifically want a location, say 'ER1', to be sorted to the top you would use strict matching.   'ER1' location will sort to the top, while any other locations such as 'ER11' would not.

Strict matching can be useful if your sort is putting stuff you don't want at the top.   So if you have a priority sort 'S' but one of your low priority codes was 'SD', strict would keep those 'SD's from sorting to top along with the 'S' stats.

 

With loose matching a single sort can match on a portion of the string.   So for example if you have multiple ER locations but do not want to define multiple sorts, you could use loose matching.   If your ER locations are 'ER1, ER2, ERS, ERM...' you could simply put 'ER' as the comparison string, and all those locations will be pulled to the top since they match on the first two letters.

The Matching Mode option is available in versions 1.78 and above.

Brief instructions or information about the sort will be displayed here.

 

You can have the program insert a space between matching and non-matching fields to help organize the list.

Insert space only works with Grouping type sorts.

 

Click Done to save your sort, or abort to discard changes.