Eclipse BIRT Report Object Model (ROM)

SortKey Structure

# Structure Overview

A sort definition consisting of an expression and sort direction.

### Details

Display Name: | Sort Key
Since: | 1.0

### Property Summary

direction
  The sort direction: Ascending (the default) or Descending.
key
  An expression that gives the sort key on which to sort.

### Description

Report sorting and group sorting is defined as a series of column, sort direction pairs. Each pair is a Sort Criteria structure.

# Property Detail

## direction Property

The sort direction: Ascending (the default) or Descending.

### Details

Type: | choice (sortDirection)
Since: | 1.0
Required: | No
Display Name: | Sort Direction
JavaScript Type: |
Default Value: | asc
Runtime Settable: | No

### Choices

Name | Display Name | Value | Description
asc | Ascending | asc | Sort values from lowest to highest.
desc | Descending | desc | Sort values from highest to lowest.

### Description

The sort direction: Ascending (the default) or Descending.

## key Property

An expression that gives the sort key on which to sort.

### Details

Type: | expression
Context: |
Expression Type: | any
Since: | 1.0
Required: | Yes
Display Name: | Sort Key
JavaScript Type: |
Default Value: | None
Runtime Settable: | No

### Description

An expression that gives the sort key on which to sort. The simplest case is the name of a column. The expression can also be an expression that includes columns. When used for a group, the expression can contain an aggregate computed over the group.

Expressions that include only a column name are candidates for "pushing" into the data set. However, sort keys that are expressions must be evaluated within BIRT, and so the sorting itself must occur within BIRT.