How to: Programmatically Sort Data in Worksheets

You can sort data that is contained in worksheet ranges and lists at run time. The following code sorts a multi-column range named Fruits by the data in the first column, and then by the data in the second column.

Applies to: The information in this topic applies to document-level projects and application-level projects for Excel 2013 and Excel 2010. For more information, see Features Available by Office Application and Project Type.

Sorting Data in a Document-Level Customization

To sort data in a NamedRange control

  • Call the Sort method of the NamedRange control. The following example requires a NamedRange control named Fruits on a worksheet. This code must be placed in a sheet class, not in the ThisWorkbook class.

    Me.Fruits.Sort( _
        Key1:=Me.Fruits.Columns(1), Order1:=Excel.XlSortOrder.xlAscending, _
        Key2:=Me.Fruits.Columns(2), Order2:=Excel.XlSortOrder.xlAscending, _
        Orientation:=Excel.XlSortOrientation.xlSortColumns, _
        Header:=Excel.XlYesNoGuess.xlNo, _
        SortMethod:=Excel.XlSortMethod.xlPinYin, _
        DataOption1:=Excel.XlSortDataOption.xlSortNormal, _
        DataOption2:=Excel.XlSortDataOption.xlSortNormal, _
        DataOption3:=Excel.XlSortDataOption.xlSortNormal)
    
    this.Fruits.Sort(
        this.Fruits.Columns[1, missing], Excel.XlSortOrder.xlAscending,
        this.Fruits.Columns[2, missing], missing, Excel.XlSortOrder.xlAscending,
        missing, Excel.XlSortOrder.xlAscending,
        Excel.XlYesNoGuess.xlNo, missing, missing, 
        Excel.XlSortOrientation.xlSortColumns,
        Excel.XlSortMethod.xlPinYin,
        Excel.XlSortDataOption.xlSortNormal,
        Excel.XlSortDataOption.xlSortNormal,
        Excel.XlSortDataOption.xlSortNormal); 
    

Place the following code in Sheet1.vb or Sheet1.cs to sort data in a ListObject control. The code assumes that you have a ListObject control named fruitList in a worksheet named Sheet1.

To sort data in a ListObject control

  • Call the Sort method of the Range property of the ListObject host control.

    Me.fruitList.Range.Sort( _
        Key1:=Me.fruitList.ListColumns(1).Range, Order1:=Excel.XlSortOrder.xlAscending, _
        Key2:=Me.fruitList.ListColumns(2).Range, Order2:=Excel.XlSortOrder.xlAscending, _
        Orientation:=Excel.XlSortOrientation.xlSortColumns, _
        Header:=Excel.XlYesNoGuess.xlYes)
    
    this.fruitList.Range.Sort(
        this.fruitList.ListColumns[1].Range, Excel.XlSortOrder.xlAscending,
        this.fruitList.ListColumns[2].Range, missing, Excel.XlSortOrder.xlAscending,
        missing, Excel.XlSortOrder.xlAscending, 
        Excel.XlYesNoGuess.xlYes, missing, missing, 
        Excel.XlSortOrientation.xlSortColumns,
        Excel.XlSortMethod.xlPinYin, 
        Excel.XlSortDataOption.xlSortNormal,
        Excel.XlSortDataOption.xlSortNormal,
        Excel.XlSortDataOption.xlSortNormal);
    

Sorting Data in an Application-Level Add-In

To sort data in a native range

  • Call the Sort method of the native Excel Range control. The following example requires a native Excel control named Fruits on a worksheet.

    Dim Fruits As Excel.Range = Me.Application.Range("A1", "B2")
    Fruits.Sort( _
        Key1:=Fruits.Columns(1), Order1:=Excel.XlSortOrder.xlAscending, _
        Key2:=Fruits.Columns(2), Order2:=Excel.XlSortOrder.xlAscending, _
        Orientation:=Excel.XlSortOrientation.xlSortColumns, _
        Header:=Excel.XlYesNoGuess.xlNo, _
        SortMethod:=Excel.XlSortMethod.xlPinYin, _
        DataOption1:=Excel.XlSortDataOption.xlSortNormal, _
        DataOption2:=Excel.XlSortDataOption.xlSortNormal, _
        DataOption3:=Excel.XlSortDataOption.xlSortNormal)
    
    Excel.Range Fruits = Application.get_Range("A1", "B3");
        Fruits.Sort(
        Fruits.Columns[1], Excel.XlSortOrder.xlAscending,
        Fruits.Columns[2], missing, Excel.XlSortOrder.xlAscending,
        missing, Excel.XlSortOrder.xlAscending,
        Excel.XlYesNoGuess.xlNo, missing, missing,
        Excel.XlSortOrientation.xlSortColumns,
        Excel.XlSortMethod.xlPinYin,
        Excel.XlSortDataOption.xlSortNormal,
        Excel.XlSortDataOption.xlSortNormal,
        Excel.XlSortDataOption.xlSortNormal); 
    

To sort data in a ListObject control

  • Call the Sort method of the Range property of the native Excel ListObject control. The following example assumes that you have a native Excel ListObject control named fruitList in the active worksheet.

    Dim fruitList As Excel.ListObject = CType(Application.ActiveSheet,  _
        Excel.Worksheet).ListObjects.AddEx(Excel.XlListObjectSourceType.xlSrcRange, _
        Application.Range("A1", "B2"))
    fruitList.Range.Sort( _
    Key1:=fruitList.ListColumns(1).Range, Order1:=Excel.XlSortOrder.xlAscending, _
    Key2:=fruitList.ListColumns(2).Range, Order2:=Excel.XlSortOrder.xlAscending, _
    Orientation:=Excel.XlSortOrientation.xlSortColumns, _
    Header:=Excel.XlYesNoGuess.xlYes)
    
    Excel.ListObject fruitList = 
         ((Excel.Worksheet)Application.ActiveSheet).
             ListObjects.Add(Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.XlListObjectSourceType.xlSrcRange,
             Application.get_Range("A1", "B3"), 
             missing, Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.XlYesNoGuess.xlNo); 
        fruitList.Range.Sort(
            fruitList.ListColumns[1].Range, Excel.XlSortOrder.xlAscending,
            fruitList.ListColumns[2].Range, missing, Excel.XlSortOrder.xlAscending,
            missing, Excel.XlSortOrder.xlAscending,
            Excel.XlYesNoGuess.xlYes, missing, missing,
            Excel.XlSortOrientation.xlSortColumns,
            Excel.XlSortMethod.xlPinYin,
            Excel.XlSortDataOption.xlSortNormal,
            Excel.XlSortDataOption.xlSortNormal,
            Excel.XlSortDataOption.xlSortNormal);
    

See Also

Tasks

How to: Programmatically Automatically Fill Ranges with Incrementally Changing Data

How to: Programmatically Refer to Worksheet Ranges in Code

How to: Programmatically Apply Styles to Ranges in Workbooks

Concepts

Working with Worksheets

NamedRange Control

ListObject Control

Optional Parameters in Office Solutions