Apache OpenOffice (AOO) Bugzilla – Issue 102626
Sorting on selection defaults to sorting on Right column
Last modified: 2013-01-29 21:50:36 UTC
I am using version 3.1.0 spreadsheet and have found that use of the sort function is inconsistent with previous versions. I have followed the following procedure: 1.Select an area of the speadsheet for sorting 2.From the menu, select Data / Sort to obtain the sort dialogue. In previous versions the “Sort by” field defaulted to the left hand column of the selected area. In version 3.1.0 the “Sort by” field defaults to the right hand column. This is irrespective of whether the “Range contains column labels” box is checked. However it is important to add that is this procedure is repeated on the SAME area of the spreadsheet then the sort function will "remember" the previous "sort by" column selected While this is not a major problem it is a source of irritation if the function is used frequently because I believe that most people use the left hand field for the first level of sorting. This is my first bug submission, so I hope I have not missed something obvious such as a simple config change. I would also like to attach a sample file but can't find how to attach it! Ken Maunder
Created attachment 62892 [details] Sample of spreadsheet table for sorting
Created attachment 62893 [details] Screenshot of sort dialogue
In earlier versions (I just checked "2.4.1 Multilingual version English UI WIN XP: [680m17(Build9310)]") the first column was the default sort criteria, for "Ooo-Dev 3.3 multilingual version English UI WIN XP: [DEV300m80 (Build 9507)]" (and other, earlier 3. versions) I can confirm the complained behaviour. I do not know in what version the behaviour changed and whether the change has been intended. To me it seems inconsistent that for WRITER tables the first column contains the default sort criteria / sort key I will set this issue to NEW because current behaviour is not really consistent with the one escribed in specification <http://www.openoffice.org/nonav/issues/showattachment.cgi/62155/test_list_detail.php.htm> (Heading "Testcases", but I do not know whether that spec. shows the latest "state of the art"): Proced as written in spec using 3.3 (create a simple test document containing data as listed), and you will see that the LEFT column will contain the sort critera. Undo, select all data and use menu 'Data ->Sort', now you will see in card "Criteria" that by default RIGHT column will contain sort key. That's inconsistent.
*** Issue 112101 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
I believe this is a result of the problem covered by Issue 97093. If that problem were addressed, this one would also go away. As I understand it, when you first select a range, then sort, Calc uses the column of the current cell as the sort key. Since a typical selection is made from left to right, the current cell ends up in the right column of the selected range. If you make the selection from right to left, then the current cell will be in the first/left column. Setting a database range will capture the sorting parameters and avoid having Calc try to guess what you want.
@jes: Yes, I believe you hit it. At least this issue depends on 97093
Yes, you have solved the problem for me. Thank you for your efforts. Ken Maunder