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Contents | Index
Sorting Rows of Data
Data in spreadsheet form may be sorted so that rows with common entries are
grouped together in the spreadsheet. When the Sort option is selected from the Data menu, the Sort Rows dialog box is displayed. Note that this option is only available when the
data editor is the current window.
Sort allows you to rearrange the rows of your data based on values in selected
columns. It is recommended that sorting be done only on individuals data or on
attributes data since the original subgroup structure of the file is not retained.
You can choose up to three columns by selecting from the drop down list. By
default, the data will be sorted in ascending alphabetic order. This will
rearrange the values: blanks (missing data), 10.1, and 9.3 into blanks, 10.1, and 9.3.
Descending This is an alphabetic sort and will rearrange the values: blanks (missing data), 10.1, and 9.3 into: 9.3, 10.1, and blanks.
Numeric This is a number sort and will rearrange the values: blanks (missing data), 10.1, and 9.3 into: blanks, 9.3, and 10.1.
Descending and Numeric You will get this sort if you check both boxes for a column. This sort will
rearrange the values: blanks (missing data), 10.1, and 9.3 into: 10.1, 9.3, and blanks.
If you choose more than one key for sorting, your data will be sorted
beginning with the first key. After that, within each level identified by the first
sort, the data will be sorted by the second key. If you have chosen a third key,
the data will then be sorted by the third key within each level created by the
second sort.
If you have the following data:
25
| -
| .2
| 25
| 3
| .3
| 26
| 4
| .2
| 27
| -
| .1
| 25
| 5
| .2
| 26
| 3
| .1
| 27
| 3
| .2
| 27
| 5
| .3
| 25
| 3
| .1
| 26
| 5
| .3
| 27
| 4
| .1
| 26
| 4
| .1
|
An ascending numeric transform using the first column as the first key, the
second column as the second key, and the third column as the third key will sort
the data into the following order:
25
| 3
| .1
| 25
| 3
| .3
| 25
| 4
| .2
| 25
| 5
| .2
| 26
| 3
| .1
| 26
| 4
| .1
| 26
| 4
| .2
| 26
| 5
| .3
| 27
| 3
| .2
| 27
| 4
| .1
| 27
| 5
| .1
| 27
| 5
| .3
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