how do i sort a column? just of plain data? i want it from smallest to largest numbers......
Hi Etak,
Click anywhere in the table to make it active. Click on the Reorganize button. Choose a column to sort by and Sort ascending. This will sort all columns (the rows stay intact).
Regards,
Ian.
thats what im doing, but it will not let me do it. it makes an error noise and nothing happens.......
also, when clicking the dropdown menu from the column letter, the "ascending/descending" options are greyed out
Hi Etak,
Have you merged or split any cells?
Regards,
Ian.
Hi Etak,
Numbers sorts tables, with the sort based on the contents on one or more columns. Contents of each row in the table are assumed to be related, and stay together when the table is sorted.
To sort the data in a single column without affecting other columns in the table, you need to separate that data (or that column) from the rest of the table.
You can:
Select the column, then Copy
Click on an empty space on the Sheet. Paste
Thi will create a single column table.
Use the Reorganise panel or the contextual menu in the column's column reference tab to sort the data ascending.
Select and copy the sorted data.
Click on the first cell in the column from which the data was originally copied. Paste.
OR
You can:
Click any cell in the table to make it active and display the column reference tabs.
Click on the column reference tab of the column to be sorted, than drag down and right to separate that column from the table.
Drag the column off the table, then release the mouse button to drop it onto the canvas, where it will become a single column table.
Sort per instruction above.
After sorting, grab the column's reference tab and drag the column back onto the table whence it came. When a dark blue line appears on the border between the pair of columns that were left and right of the rmoved column, drop the column back into place.
Regards,
Barry
Recommended reading: Chapters 1 to 4 of the Numbers '09 User Guide. The guide is available through the Help menu in Numbers. The first four chapters should be read by everyone new to Numbers. The rest may be uead on an as-needed basis.
Topics in this post are discussed in Chapter 3, Working with Tables.
B
PPS: Ian's point regarding merged or split cells is well-taken. These changes will prevent sorting.
B
nope... this is an assignment in my stats class so it should be in the correct format... it was originally an excel file...would that have any effect on it?
You may not have done anything to prevent sorting, but whoever created the Excel file might have.
One way to check is to Click on Column label tabs one at a time to see if any of these tabs select more than a simple straight column of cells. Then try the same idea with rows. If you find any funky patterns, that would be the problem.
Any vertical merge of body cells (merging a cell with the cell above or below it in a non-header part of the table) will kill the ability to sort. Since Excel doesn't support Headers, any vertical merge would cause a problem with sorting.
Jerry
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