Sorting selected cells ONLY...

is there not an easy way to sort just the cells I selected?

I just select the cells, move the cursor slightly so the "lift up" from the table they are in, and drag them to the canvas. They automatically form a new one-column table. I sort that table, then select the cells in it, and drag them back to their original position in the original table.

Thanks to the nifty drag-and-drop capabilities in Numbers, this is quick and easy. Done in a few seconds.

SG

Numbers tables follow a database model. Every row is a record in the database, Each column is a field in the records.

The Table may be sorted on the information in one (or) more columns, just as a database may be sorted by the last names of the people listed in that database.

The sort does not change the individual records (rows), but keeps each record intact, changing only the order of those records.

Working within those parameters, you can sort a single column (or part of a single column) by putting the data to be sorted into a single column table, sorting that table, then placing the sorted data back into the set of cells from which it was taken before sorting.

Example:

A small table with one 'sorted' column ( A) and several 'unsorted' columns.

The same table, after cells C3 to C9 have been selected (and had bold format applied to them to make the set more visible).

The bolded cells were selected and copied,

then the pointer was placed in an empty area of the Sheet, clicked, and the copied data Pasted, forming a single column table.

Extra step: To keep the unsorted single column visible, the bolded table was duplicated, then reformatted to normal type-weight.

The (second) single column table was selected, sorted ascending, then the cells selected and copied.

Cell C3of the original table was then selected, and the copied data was pasted into that cell and the ones below.

Cleanup: The single column table created for the sort (and its duplicate) were deleted.

Result: The original table with the selected cells sorted, and no other cells disturbed.

Regards,

Barry

PS:

Here's the table after a regular sort intended to put column D in the intended order:

As the data in D is not amenable to being sorted in that order (text can be sorted only in ascending or descending alphabetical order), Column E was filled with sortable data to give a sort key for column D, then hidden after doing the sort.

B.

"Thanks to the nifty drag-and-drop capabilities in Numbers, this is quick and easy."

I like it! :-)

Essentially the same process as I described above, with a shortcut (that is indeed "nifty") on the two copy (or cut) and paste steps.

Some care needed in dropping the sorted data back into the cells whence it came—I accidently dropped it not quite in the right place the first time, and would up with the sorted data shifted by one row, leaving one blank cell and one cell whose data was overwritten.

Fortunately,the Oops! key (command-Z) set everything back to the previou step, allowing a do-over of the select then lift and drag of the sorted cells, this time dropping them in the correct space, an getting the expected result.

One final step—deleting the single column 'sorting' table—is still needed to finish the job.

Still a nifty shortcut, though.

Regards,

Barry