Sorting a table

[krbargen]

Hello,

I'm trying to sort my table of names with first and last name in the
1st column. I want to sort by last name and know how to do it I think.
Under table, select sort, and sort by column 1 and options. Then
seperate fields at ____(spacebar). But I cannot click on the "seperate
fields at" area because it is not available to select. This is my
problem cause I don't know why. Can you help me. I don't want to re-
type all the names with first and last names in seperate columns.

Thanks,

Kris Bargen

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

If I had a list of text names that went:

FirstName LastName

then I would use Table > Sort > Sort by Word 2. Options would not be
necessary. (You can sort just about any text, it doesn't need to be in a
table)

But it sounds like your names are in a table already:

FirstName LastName | DataColumn2 | DataColumn3

I'm not sure you can tell Word to sort by the second word in the first
column. I think you can't tell Word what to use to separate fields
because each table cell is already a field.

What I would try: Make a COPY of the document. Use Table > Convert Table
to Text. Sort the text on Word 2. Use Table > Convert Text to Table.

If that doesn't work, please also give version of Word and OS and
explain a little about the document setup.

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Chris:

Is this in a Word table or in a block of tabbed text?

If it's in a table, you sort by column 2 then by column 1.

If it's in tabbed text, you sort by Paragraphs, and then specify to sort by
Word 2, then by Word 1

Cheers

Hello,

I'm trying to sort my table of names with first and last name in the
1st column. I want to sort by last name and know how to do it I think.
Under table, select sort, and sort by column 1 and options. Then
seperate fields at ____(spacebar). But I cannot click on the "seperate
fields at" area because it is not available to select. This is my
problem cause I don't know why. Can you help me. I don't want to re-
type all the names with first and last names in seperate columns.

Thanks,

Kris Bargen

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
http://jgmcghie.fastmail.com.au/
Sydney, Australia. S33°53'34.20 E151°14'54.50
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[CyberTaz]

Hi Kris -

<snip>

I'm trying to sort my table of names with first and last name in the
1st column.

<snip>

Just to more blatantly state what the others are telling you, this is where
the problem lies. In order to sort the data based on Last Name the data
needs to be entered with that as a separate field (column). IOW, put the
first names in *one* column and the last names in another. That way you can
not only sort by last name, but also within common last name by first name.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac