This page covers a non-latest version of Handsontable.

# ColumnSorting

Description
Options
- columnSorting
Methods

# Description

This plugin sorts the view by columns (but does not sort the data source!). To enable the plugin, set the Options#columnSorting property to the correct value (see the examples below).

Example

// as boolean
columnSorting: true

// as an object with initial sort config (sort ascending for column at index 1)
columnSorting: {
  initialConfig: {
    column: 1,
    sortOrder: 'asc'
  }
}

// as an object which define specific sorting options for all columns
columnSorting: {
  sortEmptyCells: true, // true = the table sorts empty cells, false = the table moves all empty cells to the end of the table (by default)
  indicator: true, // true = shows indicator for all columns (by default), false = don't show indicator for columns
  headerAction: true, // true = allow to click on the headers to sort (by default), false = turn off possibility to click on the headers to sort
  compareFunctionFactory: function(sortOrder, columnMeta) {
    return function(value, nextValue) {
      // Some value comparisons which will return -1, 0 or 1...
    }
  }
}

// as an object passed to the `column` property, allows specifying a custom options for the desired column.
// please take a look at documentation of `column` property: https://handsontable.com/docs/Options.html#columns
columns: [{
  columnSorting: {
    indicator: false, // disable indicator for the first column,
    sortEmptyCells: true,
    headerAction: false, // clicks on the first column won't sort
    compareFunctionFactory: function(sortOrder, columnMeta) {
      return function(value, nextValue) {
        return 0; // Custom compare function for the first column (don't sort)
      }
    }
  }
}]

# Options

# columnSorting

Source code

columnSorting.columnSorting : boolean | object

The columnSorting option configures the ColumnSorting plugin.

You can set the columnSorting option to one of the following:

Setting	Description
`true`	Enable the `ColumnSorting` plugin with the default configuration
`false`	Disable the `ColumnSorting` plugin
An object	- Enable the `ColumnSorting` plugin - Modify the `ColumnSorting` plugin options

If you set the columnSorting option to an object, you can set the following ColumnSorting plugin options:

Option	Possible settings
`indicator`	`true`: Display an arrow icon in the column header, to indicate a sortable column `false`: Don't display the arrow icon in the column header
`headerAction`	`true`: Enable clicking on the column header to sort the column `false`: Disable clicking on the column header to sort the column
`sortEmptyCells`	`true`: Sort empty cells as well `false`: Place empty cells at the end
`compareFunctionFactory`	A custom compare function

If you set the columnSorting option to an object, you can also sort individual columns at Handsontable's initialization. In the columnSorting object, add an object named initialConfig, with the following properties:

Option	Possible settings	Description
`column`	A number	The index of the column that you want to sort at initialization
`sortOrder`	`'asc'` \| `'desc'`	The sorting order: `'asc'`: ascending `'desc'`: descending

Default: undefined Example

// enable the `ColumnSorting` plugin
columnSorting: true

// enable the `ColumnSorting` plugin with custom configuration
columnSorting: {
  // sort empty cells as well
  sortEmptyCells: true,
  // display an arrow icon in the column header
  indicator: true,
  // disable clicking on the column header to sort the column
  headerAction: false,
  // add a custom compare function
  compareFunctionFactory(sortOrder, columnMeta) {
    return function(value, nextValue) {
      // some value comparisons which will return -1, 0 or 1...
    }
  }
}

// enable the `ColumnSorting` plugin
columnSorting: {
  // at initialization, sort column 1 in ascending order
  initialConfig: {
    column: 1,
    sortOrder: 'asc'
  },
  // at initialization, sort column 2 in descending order
  initialConfig: {
    column: 2,
    sortOrder: 'desc'
  }
}

# Methods

# clearSort

Source code

columnSorting.clearSort()

Clear the sort performed on the table.

# destroy

Source code

columnSorting.destroy()

Destroys the plugin instance.

# disablePlugin

Source code

columnSorting.disablePlugin()

Disables the plugin functionality for this Handsontable instance.

# enablePlugin

Source code

columnSorting.enablePlugin()

Enables the plugin functionality for this Handsontable instance.

# getSortConfig

Source code

columnSorting.getSortConfig([column]) ⇒ undefined | object | Array

Get sort configuration for particular column or for all sorted columns. Objects contain column and sortOrder properties.

Note: Please keep in mind that returned objects expose visual column index under the column key. They are handled by the sort function.

Param	Type	Description
[column]	`number`	`optional` Visual column index.

# isEnabled

Source code

columnSorting.isEnabled() ⇒ boolean

Checks if the plugin is enabled in the Handsontable settings. This method is executed in Hooks#beforeInit hook and if it returns true than the ColumnSorting#enablePlugin method is called.

# isSorted

Source code

columnSorting.isSorted() ⇒ boolean

Checks if the table is sorted (any column have to be sorted).

# setSortConfig

Source code

columnSorting.setSortConfig(sortConfig)

Warn: Useful mainly for providing server side sort implementation (see in the example below). It doesn't sort the data set. It just sets sort configuration for all sorted columns. Note: Please keep in mind that this method doesn't re-render the table.

Example

beforeColumnSort: function(currentSortConfig, destinationSortConfigs) {
  const columnSortPlugin = this.getPlugin('columnSorting');

  columnSortPlugin.setSortConfig(destinationSortConfigs);

  // const newData = ... // Calculated data set, ie. from an AJAX call.

  this.loadData(newData); // Load new data set and re-render the table.

  return false; // The blockade for the default sort action.
}

Param	Type	Description
sortConfig	`undefined` `object` `Array`	Single column sort configuration or full sort configuration (for all sorted columns). The configuration object contains `column` and `sortOrder` properties. First of them contains visual column index, the second one contains sort order (`asc` for ascending, `desc` for descending).

# sort

Source code

columnSorting.sort(sortConfig)

Sorts the table by chosen columns and orders.

Emits: Hooks#event:beforeColumnSort, Hooks#event:afterColumnSort Example

// sort ascending first visual column
hot.getPlugin('columnSorting').sort({ column: 0, sortOrder: 'asc' });

Param	Type	Description
sortConfig	`undefined` `object`	Single column sort configuration. The configuration object contains `column` and `sortOrder` properties. First of them contains visual column index, the second one contains sort order (`asc` for ascending, `desc` for descending). Note: Please keep in mind that every call of `sort` function set an entirely new sort order. Previous sort configs aren't preserved.

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