GNOME Bugzilla – Bug 105828
Sorting wide tables with key columns on the right-hand end
Last modified: 2004-12-22 21:47:04 UTC
The new sorting dialogue makes it very painful to sort wide tables where the sort-key columns are towards the right-hand side. I have tables of student results: id, first name, surname, program, ...assignment 1 section marks, assignment 1 total, ..., exam question marks, exam total, grand total, and grade; say *thirty columns*. All the columns need to be there, but I usually hide mark details and only show totals. If I want to sort by grand total, then exam I have to "-Remove" *twenty-eight* "automatic" clauses (after increasing the count in sorting preferences) so I can sort to work out grade cutoffs. If I want to re-sort I have to go through this all over again. Suggestions: - store the key column settings - make it easy to remove lots of non-key columns in key selection dialogue box - have a button that only shows unhidden columns in key selection dialogue box - just as I can hide/unhide columns, I could select them as key columns to be displayed in the key selection dialogue box
Perhaps I don't understand, but to sort by grand total then exam, you just have to add those two fields to the sort list and drag them to the top of the list. No need to delete the other keys or even to increase the count in the sorting preferences.
changed to enhancement
Thanks, I didn't realise you could add keys, then drag and drop them. Perhaps just specifying the column letter (or header label) would make key selection easier rather than a cell in the range. I would still like the keys remembered. I find it easier to set a low number or no automatic keys and add mine.
I would agree that it would be nice to have the keys remembered with the workbook (or even the sheet). I believe by default the number of automatic keys is quite low.
*** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of 100541 ***
I'd argue that this isn't a duplicate of 100541. The sort dialogue of gnumeric 1.0.x was IMHO better suited to the problem of sorting wide and long tables. All column heading were automatically listed if heading were included in the select and sort keys could easily be selected. The approach in 1.1.x requires more effort to type in or select sort ranges.
In 1.0.x you had to add a sort key, then select the field by scolling to the item in a pop-up menu. In 1.1.x (if you have set the number of automatic clauses to 0), you select the sort column by scrolling the sheet and clicking on the header, then you click `add'. (Since you are looking at the sheet proper, you of course see the real headers.) I don't see much of a difference.