Help:Wiki University Wikitext--Tables - Sorting

Table sorting
Sometimes table can get really long and finding what you are looking for can be hard particularly if they are not in any kind of order such as alphabetical order. To help with this we can use a "class" called sorting. This will allow us to sort alphabetically any particular column.
 * It is place in the beginning table tag like so:
 * {| class="sortable" style="border:1px solid red: width:50% .....

Here is what the table will look like with the sorting class in the beginning header tag: If you click on these icons you will see the column arrange itself in alphabetical order.
 * You can place the "class" either before or after the inline style code.
 * The class has to have a space to separate it from inline style codes.
 * NOTICE a small hour glass like icon has appeared along side the headers. These icons appear on the first row regardless of kind of row it is.

Rows stay together
This is important. If you have a table of name and address, you will want the addresses to stay with the name if they were sorted alphabetically. This sorting attribute then allows you to add items without having to worry about the order.
 * PLEASE NOTICE CAREFULLY the items in the rows stay will the item in the column that you have alphabetically rearranged. It dose not matter which column you click.
 * NOTICE however, when you leave the page the table is on, the order reverts back to the original. The sorting only last as long as you are on the sorted table.

Try these out
 Exercises Check your answers >
 * Take our demonstration table and add another row.
 * Now make the table sortable.

 Quick Quiz
 * When you click the sorting icon, the sorting is permanent.
 * A. True
 * B. False


 * When you add items to a table, you need to insert the item in the table where it is supposed to go if you want your table in alphabetical order even with the sorting class applied.
 * A. True
 * B. False


 * Sorting will revert back to the original order if you leave the page the table is on.
 * A. True
 * B. False

Check your answers >