The Separation Model – Part 8 – Sorting Elegance

by Matt Petrowsky

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For anyone who has worked with FileMaker for more than few years, the limitations found in the sorting script step are simply "the way it is". You can't dynamically specify either a sort field or the direction based on a calculated value or variable - like you can with the output path of an export for example.

These limitations have always been something to work around and overcome. Over the years, I've used many different methods for sorting. They typically always centered around the script which was used for handling the sort.

It's always been easy to add as much logic as required to a script, but making things as easy as possible and portable has always been the holy grail. I mean really, who wants to keep coming up with a new way to manage sorting list views and portals when you've got a solution to build. This stuff should just be built in.

Of course, part of the fun and appeal of FileMaker is the fact that it's like a puzzle and it always seems to present that worthy little challenge. So consider this video an answer to that challenge.

In this video, you'll learn, and have access to, what I consider to be one of the most elegant ways to managing sorting list views. If having your list views (and portals) provide the same features that every desktop user has grown used, (e.g. sorting columns and indicating direction) then you owe it to yourself to get this one down. It's just way to elegant and way to easy to implement once you've got the basics!