How to sort only a selection of cells in numbers?

frustratedsergio wrote:

In excell you can sort ONLY the cells you select.

In you can indeed sort only the cells you select. It requires wading through a few dialog boxes that ask you what you want to do.

In Numbers you can easily achieve the same thing! It's just a little different. Select the cells you want to sort and (with them selected) move your mouse (or trackpad equivalent) slightly until they "lift up." Keeping the mouse button down just drag them onto the canvas of the sheet and release. They will automatically form a new table. Sort that table as wanted. Then select the sorted cells and just drag them back into position in the original table. Done in a few seconds.

SG

Hi Sergio,

'there is no way to exclude cells G1 and above from the sort.'

There are no cells "above" G1. It is in the first row of its table.

If you mean cells to the right of column G, then the advice offered in 2010 still applies.

Select and copy cells A1-F7.

Copy

Click on an empty space in the canvas.

Paste.

Select all cells of the new table that is created.

Sort on one or more columns. (example: ascending on column D)

Select all cells of the new table.

Copy.

Select cell A1 of the original table (single click).

Paste.

Select new table.

Press delete.

Done.

Tried it a second time, without the stops to create all the screen shots. Start to finish took less than 40 seconds.

EDIT: Re-read SG's updated procedure. Could take even less time, without having to rush.

Regards,

Barry

Have you actually tried my suggestion? Select cells, drag to canvas, sort, select, drag back. No more "risky" than the way you would accomplish the same thing Excel. Why not give it a try?

You can give feedback to Apple via Numbers > Provide Numbers Feedback in your menu.

But, personally, I hope the interface isn't complicated with additional options when there already is a really efficient way to accomplish the same thing.

SG

Have you tried 'Sort Selected Rows,' here?

SG

HI Sergio,

I have to agree with SG on this one: "(P)ersonally, I hope the interface isn't complicated with additional options when there already is a really efficient way to accomplish the same thing."

Having lost more than a few hours and suffered much frustration when Apple introduced the ability to sort a single column without disturbing the order of the rest of the row just before a group of us were composing the AppleWorks spreadsheet that would be used to record and sort judges' scores on projects in the regional science fair, I'm very much in favour of the current system. Sorting all rows or selected rows on data in a specific column or columns while protecting the integrity of the rows should be the default behaviour. Sorting a selection of cells should require a deliberate choice and some extra steps) to accomplish. That's already possible, and easy to do.

Regards,

Barry