Help:Wiki University Wikitext--Tables - Sorting





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Table sorting
Sometimes tables 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. To help with this we can use a "class" called sorting. This will allow us to sort alphabetically any particular column.  {| class="sortable" style="border:1px solid red: width:100% ... Here is a sample table with the sorting code added in the table tag.
 * It is placed in the beginning table tag like so:
 * You place the "class" before the inline style code.
 * The class has to have a space to separate it from inline style codes.


 * NOTICE small arrows pointing up and down have appeared alongside the headings. These arrows appear on the first row regardless of whether the row is a header row or regular row.  In most cases, sorting tables will not have colored rows, but we did so here so you could see how the rows act when the sorting arrows are clicked.
 * When you click the arrows the first time you will see the columns arrange themselves in descending alphabetical order. Only a up pointing arrow remains.
 * If you click the up pointing arrow, the columns arrange themselves in reverse alphabetical order.

Rows stay together
This is important. If you have a table of names and addresses, you will want the addresses to stay with the names if the names have been sorted. This sorting attribute allows you to add rows of data without having to worry about the order.
 * PLEASE NOTICE CAREFULLY the items in the rows stay with the item in the column that you have alphabetically rearranged. It does not matter which column you click.

Try these out


 Exercises Check your answers
 * Take our Healthy Foods 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 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

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