Sorting a Table

You can sort the columns and rows of a table. You can sort a single or multiple columns and rows with simple or multiple criteria for sorting.

This task shows you how to:

Before you begin: Create a table.
See Also
Creating a Table
Modifying a Table

Use Simple Sort

You can adopt any of the following methods based on your requirement:
  1. Select an entire column or row to be sorted using the icons or that appear over a header.
  2. Right-click the header cell and select any of the following:

    • Sort A to Z with column X or Sort A to Z with row X
    • Sort Z to A with column X or Sort Z to A with row X

    Based on your selection, the table is sorted in ascending or descending alphabetical order with the column or row you select.
    Note: All the columns and rows are sorted. You cannot exclude the title column or title row in this method of sorting.

Or

  1. Select a range of cells in the table (if needed, excluding the title row or title column).
  2. In the column or row to be sorted, right click any cell and select any of the following:

    • Sort A to Z with column X or Sort A to Z with row X
    • Sort Z to A with column X or Sort Z to A with row X

    Based on your selection, the table is sorted in ascending or descending alphabetical order with the column or row you select. This sort excludes the title column or title row if you have not selected them initially.

Use Multi Criteria Sort

Before you begin: Define the custom lists Custom lists used to sort tables in Me > Preferences > App Preferences > 3D Modeling > Mechanical Systems > Drafting > Annotations and Dress-up section, under Table.
  1. Right-click one or more table and select Multi Criteria Sort.
    If you have selected two or more tables, the selected tables are listed in the Sort tables box of the Sort dialog box.
  2. In the Scope section, select Sort lines or Sort columns, as required.

    If you have selected multiple tables, then the following conditions are applicable:

    • For Sort lines the number of columns in all the selected tables must be equal.
    • For Sort columns the number of rows in all the selected tables must be equal.

  3. Provide an exception to the sorting in the box.

    The exception can be a range like A-C or2-5; a single value like A or1; or a combination of both separated by a comma like 1-4,7. This is useful to exclude the title rows and columns.

  4. To apply the same exception to all the tables, select Apply this exception to all tables.
  5. In the Criteria section, click Click here to add a new criterion.

    You can add as many relevant criteria, as needed.

    1. Select a row or column in the Sort by list.

      Under Scope, if you have chosen to Sort lines, all the columns listed in your tables are listed here and vice versa.

    2. Select the order in which you want to sort the selected row or column in the with order list.

      There are three options available:

      • A to Z
      • Z to A
      • Custom list: Click this to add a custom list in the Custom Lists dialog box. In this dialog box, you can select existing custom lists that are defined previously or you can create a list, on the fly.

        Once you select the required custom list, select it in the list.

    3. Click Merge cells <<icon needed>> to merge cells with same value.
    4. Drag and drop one criterion over the other to rearrange the sorting order.
    5. Click to remove any unnecessary criteria.

      It is necessary to keep at least one criterion.

  6. When all the required criteria are set, click OK.

    A warning message is displayed if some cells need to be unmerged. An error message is displayed if cells cannot be merged or unmerged because of presence of attribute links, text templates, pictures, or view representations in some cells.