Reputation: 4435
So, I've looked around and tried to solve this on my own. This isn't an absolutely crucial question currently, I just want to know if it could be done.
So let's say I've got a list with some data that looks like
Date Location
01/24/14 H-12
01/25/14 BB-44
01/30/14 G-12
01/29/14 7A-55
01/28/14 NN-15
01/24/14 GG-47
What I want is to be able to sort the data by Location, but I don't want it to be the general way, otherwise I'll end up with 7A-55, BB-44, G-12, H-12, NN-15. I want the data to be sorted so that double letters and single letters are sorted together. E.G. it should be G-12, H-12, BB-44, NN-15, 7A-55 once everything has been sorted.
I've tried creating a custom list sort, but it doesn't work. the way intended. The custom list I tried was A-Z, AA-ZZ, 7A (items were listed out, but for saving space I wrote them like that).
Like I said, this isn't a particularly huge deal if it can't be done, it just would have made it a little easier.
Edit 1 Here is what I would like to be the output
Date Location
01/30/12 G-12
01/24/14 H-12
01/25/14 BB-44
01/24/14 GG-47
01/28/14 NN-15
01/29/14 7A-55
All of these worked in the regards i wanted to, although if I had to choose a favorite it would be the base 36 number conversion one. That was some real out-of-the-box thinking and the math geek in me appreciated it. Thanks everyone!
Upvotes: 0
Views: 230
Reputation: 6852
Well it works, but is a bit complex, so rather just for fun:
This UDF returns a value that can be used as sort key. It transforms the code into a four-digit base 36-number, i.e. using A-Z and 0-9 as symbols (like hex uses 0-9 and A-F). To get at your desired output, I literally put the symbols in this order, letters first (so "A" = 0 and "0" = 26).
(The missing 'digits' are filled up with zeros, which are in this case "A"s)
It works ;)
Public Function Base36Transform(r As Range) As Long
Dim s As String, c As String
Dim v
Dim i As Integer
Dim rv As Long
v = Split(r.Text, "-")
s1 = v(0)
s2 = v(1)
s = Right("A" & s1, 2) & Right("A" & s2, 2)
rv = 0
For i = 1 To Len(s)
c = Mid(s, Len(s) - i + 1, 1)
If c Like "#" Then
rv = rv + (Val(c) + 26) * (36 ^ (i - 1))
Else
' c is like "[A-Z]"
rv = rv + (Asc(c) - Asc("A")) * (36 ^ (i - 1))
End If
Next
Base36Transform = rv
End Function
Upvotes: 1
Reputation: 59495
Assuming your data is in columns B:C with labels in Row1 and no intervening blank rows, add a column with:
=IF(ISNUMBER(VALUE(LEFT(C2))),3,IF(FIND("-",C2)>2,2,1))
in D1 copied down to suit and sort ascending Location within sort ascending of the added column.
Upvotes: 1
Reputation: 1642
I am a little lazy here and assuming your data sits in Column A,B. You mightneed to adjust your range or the starting point of your list. But here's the code:
Sub sortttttt()
Dim rng As Range
Dim i As Integer
Range("B2").Activate
Do While Not IsEmpty(ActiveCell)
ActiveCell.Value = Len(ActiveCell.Value) & ActiveCell.Value
ActiveCell.Offset(1, 0).Activate
Loop
Set rng = Range("A1:B6")
rng.Sort Key1:=Range("B2"), Order1:=xlAscending, Header:=xlYes
Range("B2").Activate
Do While Not IsEmpty(ActiveCell)
ActiveCell.Value = Right(ActiveCell.Value, Len(ActiveCell.Value) - 1)
ActiveCell.Offset(1, 0).Activate
Loop
End Sub
Upvotes: 1
Reputation: 14179
Sorting is often a very creative process. VBA can ease up the process, but a little extension of the data will work just as well.
See my results:
The way I did it is by getting the length of each string, just to be safe. This is gotten by simply going =LEN(B2)
, dragged down.
Then I check if it starts with 7
. If it does, assign 1
, otherwise keep at 0
. I used this formula: =(LEFT(B2,1)="7")*1
, dragged down.
Now, my custom sort is this:
Now I might have gotten some things wrong here, or I might even have done overkill by going the Length
column. However, the logic is pretty much what you're aiming for.
Hope this helps in a way! Let us know. :)
Upvotes: 1