Sorting Based on Attribute Content

Friday 26 January 2007 8:19:11 am

Hi,

If you need to sort content based on attributes, you can use this approach:

First, install the <b>sort template plugins</b>. I used them on eZ 3.8.6 and it was flawless (my thanks to the author).

http://ez.no/community/contribs/template_plugins/arraysortoperator

Once the extension is installed, you can use it like so:

{def $sorted_month_array=array()}
{foreach $months as $k => $v}
  {set $sorted_month_array=$sorted_month_array|append(concat($v.data_map.month.value.0,'-',$k))}
{/foreach}
{set $sorted_month_array=$sorted_month_array|sort('numeric')}

In this case, I created an array of the attribute value (<i>$v.data_map.month.value.0</i>), a dash (<i>-</i>) that serves as a separator, and the array index (<i>$k</i>). Then, the <b>sort</b> template operator was used, with the numeric option - to ensure 11 came after 2.

To access the array, you loop through the elements, exploding out the data from the strings and using it as an index into the array.

{* Loop through the sorted array and if the month is supposed to be displayed in the slot - display it *}

{def $bits=''}
{def $m=0}
{for 1 to 12 as $i}
  <td>
    {set $bits=$sorted_month_array[$m]|explode('-')}
    {if $bits.0|eq($i)}
      {node_view_gui content_node=$months[$bits.1] view='line' format='cell'}
      {set $m=$m|inc}
    {else}
      &nbsp;
    {/if}
  </td>
{/for}

In this case, the months were being displayed in a table, in a row of 12 cells. I wanted each month to go into the proper cell (January would be first, February second). The array did not necessarily have all 12 months - so the loop creates the 12 cells and decides whether to put the content in based on the content.

<b>$bits</b> is the cross-reference. The first number is the month, the second is the position in the array (fetched).

Hope this helps.