GridView.Sort Method (System.Web.UI.WebControls)

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Microsoft Visual Studio 2008/.NET Framework 3.5

Other versions are also available for the following:

.NET Framework Class Library

GridView..::.Sort Method

Updated: April 2009

Sorts the GridView control based on the specified sort expression and direction.

Namespace: System.Web.UI.WebControls
Assembly: System.Web (in System.Web.dll)

Syntax

Visual Basic (Declaration)

Public Overridable Sub Sort ( _
    sortExpression As String, _
    sortDirection As SortDirection _
)

Visual Basic (Usage)

Dim instance As GridView
Dim sortExpression As String
Dim sortDirection As SortDirection

instance.Sort(sortExpression, sortDirection)

public virtual void Sort(
    string sortExpression,
    SortDirection sortDirection
)

Visual C++

public:
virtual void Sort(
    String^ sortExpression, 
    SortDirection sortDirection
)

JScript

public function Sort(
    sortExpression : String, 
    sortDirection : SortDirection
)

Parameters

sortExpression: Type: System..::.String
The sort expression with which to sort the GridView control.

sortDirection: Type: System.Web.UI.WebControls..::.SortDirection
One of the SortDirection values.

Exceptions

Exception	Condition
HttpException	The GridView control is bound to a data source control, but the DataSourceView associated with the data source is nullNothingnullptra null reference (Nothing in Visual Basic).

Remarks

Use the Sort method to programmatically sort the GridView control using the specified sort expression and direction. The sort expression specifies the column or columns with which to sort. To sort multiple columns, create a sort expression that contains a comma-separated list of field names. The sort direction indicates whether sorting is performed in ascending or descending order. This method is commonly used when you need to sort the GridView control from outside of the control, such as from a different control on the page. This method is also commonly used to programmatically set a default sort order for the GridView control when it is first rendered. Calling this method also raises the Sorted and Sorting events.

Examples

The following example demonstrates how to use the Sort method to programmatically sort the GridView control by multiple columns.

Visual Basic

<%@ Page language="VB" %>

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN"
    "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
<script runat="server">

  Sub SortButton_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)

    Dim expression As String = ""
    Dim direction As SortDirection

    ' Create the sort expression from the values selected 
    ' by the user from the DropDownList controls. Multiple
    ' columns can be sorted by creating a sort expression
    ' that contains a comma-separated list of field names.
    expression = SortList1.SelectedValue & "," & SortList2.SelectedValue

    ' Determine the sort direction. The sort direction
    ' applies only to the second column sorted.
    Select Case DirectionList.SelectedValue

      Case "Ascending"
        direction = SortDirection.Ascending
      Case "Descending"
        direction = SortDirection.Descending
      Case Else
        direction = SortDirection.Ascending

    End Select

    ' Use the Sort method to programmatically sort the GridView
    ' control using the sort expression and direction.
    CustomersGridView.Sort(expression, direction)

  End Sub

</script>

<html  >
  <head runat="server">
    <title>GridView Sort Example</title>
</head>
<body>
    <form id="Form1" runat="server">

      <h3>GridView Sort Example</h3>

      <table>
        <tr>
          <td>
             Sort by:
            <asp:dropdownlist ID="SortList1"
              runat="server">
              <asp:listitem Selected="true">CustomerID</asp:listitem>
              <asp:listitem>CompanyName</asp:listitem>
              <asp:listitem>Address</asp:listitem>
              <asp:listitem>City</asp:listitem>
              <asp:listitem>PostalCode</asp:listitem>
              <asp:listitem>Country</asp:listitem>
            </asp:dropdownlist>
          </td>
          <td colspan="2">
            &nbsp;
          </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td>
            Then by:
              <asp:dropdownlist ID="SortList2"
                runat="server">
                <asp:listitem Selected="true">CustomerID</asp:listitem>
                <asp:listitem>CompanyName</asp:listitem>
                <asp:listitem>Address</asp:listitem>
                <asp:listitem>City</asp:listitem>
                <asp:listitem>PostalCode</asp:listitem>
                <asp:listitem>Country</asp:listitem>
              </asp:dropdownlist>
          </td>
          <td>
             Sort order:      
          </td>
          <td>
            <asp:radiobuttonlist id="DirectionList"
              runat="server">
              <asp:listitem selected="true">Ascending</asp:listitem>
              <asp:listitem>Descending</asp:listitem>
            </asp:radiobuttonlist>
          </td>
        </tr>
      </table>

      <asp:button id="SortButton"
        text="Sort"
        onclick="SortButton_Click" 
        runat="Server"/>  

      <br/>
      <hr/>
      <br/>

      <asp:gridview id="CustomersGridView" 
        datasourceid="CustomersSource" 
        autogeneratecolumns="true"
        emptydatatext="No data available." 
        allowpaging="true" 
        runat="server">
      </asp:gridview>

      <!-- This example uses Microsoft SQL Server and connects  -->
      <!-- to the Northwind sample database. Use an ASP.NET     -->
      <!-- expression to retrieve the connection string value   -->
      <!-- from the Web.config file.                            -->
      <asp:sqldatasource id="CustomersSource"
        selectcommand="Select [CustomerID], [CompanyName], [Address], [City], [PostalCode], [Country] From [Customers]"
        connectionstring="<%$ ConnectionStrings:NorthWindConnectionString%>" 
        runat="server"/>

    </form>
  </body>
</html>

<%@ Page language="C#" %>

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN"
    "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd">
<script runat="server">

  void SortButton_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e)
  {

    String expression = "";
    SortDirection direction;

    // Create the sort expression from the values selected 
    // by the user from the DropDownList controls. Multiple
    // columns can be sorted by creating a sort expression
    // that contains a comma-separated list of field names.
    expression = SortList1.SelectedValue + "," + SortList2.SelectedValue;

    //  Determine the sort direction. The sort direction
    // applies only to the second column sorted.
    switch (DirectionList.SelectedValue)
    {
      case "Ascending":
        direction = SortDirection.Ascending;
        break;
      case "Descending":
        direction = SortDirection.Descending;
        break;
      default:
        direction = SortDirection.Ascending;
        break;
    }

    // Use the Sort method to programmatically sort the GridView
    // control using the sort expression and direction.
    CustomersGridView.Sort(expression, direction);

  }

</script>

<html  >
  <head runat="server">
    <title>GridView Sort Example</title>
</head>
<body>
    <form id="form1" runat="server">

      <h3>GridView Sort Example</h3>

      <table>
        <tr>
          <td>
             Sort by:
            <asp:dropdownlist ID="SortList1"
              runat="server">
              <asp:listitem Selected="true">CustomerID</asp:listitem>
              <asp:listitem>CompanyName</asp:listitem>
              <asp:listitem>Address</asp:listitem>
              <asp:listitem>City</asp:listitem>
              <asp:listitem>PostalCode</asp:listitem>
              <asp:listitem>Country</asp:listitem>
            </asp:dropdownlist>
          </td>
          <td colspan="2">
            &nbsp;
          </td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
          <td>
            Then by:
              <asp:dropdownlist ID="SortList2"
                runat="server">
                <asp:listitem Selected="true">CustomerID</asp:listitem>
                <asp:listitem>CompanyName</asp:listitem>
                <asp:listitem>Address</asp:listitem>
                <asp:listitem>City</asp:listitem>
                <asp:listitem>PostalCode</asp:listitem>
                <asp:listitem>Country</asp:listitem>
              </asp:dropdownlist>
          </td>
          <td>
             Sort order:      
          </td>
          <td>
            <asp:radiobuttonlist id="DirectionList"
              runat="server">
              <asp:listitem selected="true">Ascending</asp:listitem>
              <asp:listitem>Descending</asp:listitem>
            </asp:radiobuttonlist>
          </td>
        </tr>
      </table>

      <asp:button id="SortButton"
        text="Sort"
        onclick="SortButton_Click" 
        runat="Server"/>  

      <br/>
      <hr/>
      <br/>

      <asp:gridview id="CustomersGridView" 
        datasourceid="CustomersSource" 
        autogeneratecolumns="true"
        emptydatatext="No data available." 
        allowpaging="true" 
        runat="server">
      </asp:gridview>

      <!-- This example uses Microsoft SQL Server and connects  -->
      <!-- to the Northwind sample database. Use an ASP.NET     -->
      <!-- expression to retrieve the connection string value   -->
      <!-- from the Web.config file.                            -->
      <asp:sqldatasource id="CustomersSource"
        selectcommand="Select [CustomerID], [CompanyName], [Address], [City], [PostalCode], [Country] From [Customers]"
        connectionstring="<%$ ConnectionStrings:NorthWindConnectionString%>" 
        runat="server"/>

    </form>
  </body>
</html>

Platforms

Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP Starter Edition, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2000 SP4, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 98

The .NET Framework and .NET Compact Framework do not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.

Version Information