Sorting in drop-down lists

[raph-topo]

Describe the problem to be solved

The sorting of available choices in drop-downs currently is

Drop-Down	Sort	Helper
Creator Panel > Table > Sort & Filter > Sort > Add Column	❌ Order of creation (a)	✅ Search box
Creator Panel > Table > Sort & Filter > Sort > Add Column	❌ Order of creation (a)	✅ Search box
Creator Panel > Column > Column Type = Reference/Reference List > Data from Table	✅ Alphabetical	❌ None
Creator Panel > Column > Column Type = Reference/Reference List > Show Column	❌ Order of creation (a,d)	❌ None
Creator Panel > Column > Trigger Formula > Apply on changes to > Column	✅ Alphabetical	None
Table widget > Any cell in a column of type Reference/Reference List	❌ Order of creation (a,b)	✅ Search box
Table widget > Any cell in a column of type Choice/Choice List	✅ Column > Choices sort (c)	✅ Search box
Table widget > Add Column > Lookups/Detect duplicated in > Columns	❌ Order of creation (a)	✅ Search box
Any formula (Python autocomplete)	✅ Alphabetical	✅ Autocomplete
New Table widget (of existing data table) > Columns	❌ Order of creation (a)
Form widget > Field of type Reference/Reference List	✅ Chosen by form author (e)	✅ Search box

(a) Creating a column between other in any view does not put it at that place in sort either ❌

(b) Row ID is always last though

(c) Though a chosen choice puts that one first in the list ⁉️

(d) When working with tables with many columns, finding the one to select gets particularly difficult (increased by some options greyed out and difficult to read) ❌

(e) That one is most usable ✅

(I tried catching all drop-downs to help get an overview… I welcome that you point me to those missed)

#1253 added some special sorting for column names starting with # or _ but they do not seem to apply to the above

Describe the solution you would like

May I suggest that all choice lists of columns & records be unified and alphabetical?

Or based on custom sort… but then, which (for columns & records):

• of Raw Data table?
• of first/oldest widget showing table / of widget to select?

May I also suggest that a search box be added to Creator Panel > Column > Column Type = Reference/Reference List > Data from Table & Show Column