idea Implement natural sorting of text fields (numbers without leading zeros) across ArcGIS Pro in ArcGIS Pro Ideas

Implement natural sorting of text fields (numbers without leading zeros) across ArcGIS Pro

LindsayRaabe_FPCWA — Sat, 20 Apr 2024 14:41:25 GMT

IDEA: Implement natural sorting in text fields throughout ArcGIS Pro (attribute tables, dynamic table elements, etc).

USE CASE: When sorting numerical values in ArcGIS Pro, if these values are in a text field and are sorted in ascending order, it puts any number starting with a 1 (i.e. 101) before any number starting with a 2 (i.e. 20). I know I could add leading zero's to the numbers to get more accurate sorting, but I don't want to have to do this to then have to remove them in labelling (or to educate others to do this).

It would be better if text sorting treated numbers holistically (or at least up to the point that a non-numeric character occurs).

Note - in below dynamic table element examples, sorting is done on the Rate column first then the Block column.

I know it's better to store numbers in integer type fields, but in the above use case, blocks could be labelled with alpha delineators as well:

1A, 1B, 5, 2, 9, 3, 4A, 4B, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11A, 11B

...and I would want these to sort to match the numbers first then the letters (logically) and not end up with 9 after 11A and 11B:

1A, 1B, 2, 3, 4A, 4B, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11A, 11B.

Currently these values would sort like this:

10, 11A, 11B, 1A, 1B, 2, 3, 4A, 4B, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Re: Sort numeric values in text field without leading zeros

DanPatterson — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 07:13:01 GMT

I might be a good idea to rename your idea to

"implement 'natural sort' for text fields"

This comes up a number of times, eg.

Better sorting of numbers in table frame - Esri Community

Re: Implement natural sorting of text fields (numbers without leading zeros) across ArcGIS Pro

LindsayRaabe_FPCWA — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 00:10:14 GMT

@DanPatterson Thanks for the tip - I've made some edits to the post and title to better describe the request.

Re: Implement natural sorting of text fields (numbers without leading zeros) across ArcGIS Pro

ToddTurner2 — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 17:13:03 GMT

This is very, very desirable. In my view, the goal is to be able to sort a field/column as desired with no coding or manipulation (like padding), throughout the entire platform.

Upon a right click (and throughout all interfaces and API functions), there should be options to sort

Numerically

Alphabetically

Naturally

(similar to FME)

The natural sorting is such a common expectation and source of frustration for end users, and it seems unreasonably difficult to achieve for data designers - especially those with no coding skills. "I have to know code to sort this column 'correctly' ??? Or, I have to format it in a way that I don't want it to look??? It's just a sort!! ". Explaining why it's not that easy just doesn't land with most end users, any level.