Sort not working as expected

  • Thread starter Thread starter geoff_ness
  • Start date Start date
G

geoff_ness

I'm getting some unexpected results from sorting the range below (the
"Blank" entries are actually blank). I have used Data-> Sort and
specified Sort by Column C, then by Column B, then by Column A (all
ascending), with the below results.

Column A Column B Column C
28-Oct-08 24-Nov-08 25-Nov-08
21-Nov-08 25-Nov-08 26-Nov-08
11-Nov-08 27-Nov-08 27-Nov-08
20-Oct-07 31-Jul-08 Blank
13-Oct-08 21-Nov-08 Blank
23-Jul-08 Blank Blank
10-Sep-08 Blank Blank
Blank 21-Oct-08 Blank

Now I would have thought that, for instance, where there are blank
cells in Column C, the rows would be sorted by values in Column B, but
that clearly hasn't happened. What am I missing?
 
Hi geoff,

I get a different result with both Excel 2000 and 2007:

28-Oct-08 24-Nov-08 25-Nov-08
21-Nov-08 25-Nov-08 26-Nov-08
11-Nov-08 27-Nov-08 27-Nov-08
20-Oct-07 31-Jul-08 Blank
Blank 21-Oct-08 Blank
13-Oct-08 21-Nov-08 Blank
23-Jul-08 Blank Blank
10-Sep-08 Blank Blank

I believe this is the correct result for a C:B:A sort. I suspect your first 4 'blank' cells in column C aren't - they've probably
got space characters in them.
 
Quite right, thanks macropod. How embarrassing, I should have spotted
that. :)

Hi geoff,

I get a different result with both Excel 2000 and 2007:

28-Oct-08 24-Nov-08 25-Nov-08
21-Nov-08 25-Nov-08 26-Nov-08
11-Nov-08 27-Nov-08 27-Nov-08
20-Oct-07 31-Jul-08 Blank
Blank 21-Oct-08 Blank
13-Oct-08 21-Nov-08 Blank
23-Jul-08 Blank Blank
10-Sep-08 Blank Blank

I believe this is the correct result for a C:B:A sort. I suspect your first 4 'blank' cells in column C aren't - they've probably
got space characters in them.
--
Cheers
macropod
[MVP - Microsoft Word]



geoff_ness said:
I'm getting some unexpected results from sorting the range below (the
"Blank" entries are actually blank). I have used Data-> Sort and
specified Sort by Column C, then by Column B, then by Column A (all
ascending), with the below results.
Click to expand...
Column A  Column B  Column C
28-Oct-08 24-Nov-08 25-Nov-08
21-Nov-08 25-Nov-08 26-Nov-08
11-Nov-08 27-Nov-08 27-Nov-08
20-Oct-07 31-Jul-08 Blank
13-Oct-08 21-Nov-08 Blank
23-Jul-08 Blank Blank
10-Sep-08 Blank Blank
Blank 21-Oct-08 Blank
Click to expand...
Now I would have thought that, for instance, where there are blank
cells in Column C, the rows would be sorted by values in Column B, but
that clearly hasn't happened. What am I missing?- Hide quoted text -
Click to expand...

- Show quoted text -
Click to expand...
 
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