MicroStrategy default sort order for an attribute elements browsing

MicroStrategy default sort order for an attribute elements browsing and display

How does MicroStrategy 9.x resolve the default sort order for an attribute when different sort orders are defined for different forms?

Consider the following cases:

CASE 1

A new attribute is created with three forms, all with sort order set to none.

Form Name	Form Type	Default Sort Order
ID	ID	None
DESC	DESC	None
LongDesc	None	None

The overall sort order is evaluated and stored in the attribute definition when the attribute is saved. With all form sort orders set to none there is no saved sort order, MicroStrategy defaults to sort ascending by ID.

CASE 2

The same attribute is modified so the forms are now:

Form Name	Form Type	Default Sort Order
ID	ID	None
DESC	DESC	Descending
LongDesc	None	Ascending

Now when the attribute is saved, MicroStrategy goes through each form in the order they appear in the main 'Forms' window of the attribute editor. The first form with a defined default sort encountered is set as the primary sort form. Other forms are used to sort elements with the same value for the primary sort form. The attribute default sort order is stored as:

• DESC Descending - Primary sort form
• LongDesc Ascending

CASE 3

The attribute from case 2 is modified so the forms are now:

Form Name	Form Type	Default Sort Order
ID	ID	Ascending
DESC	DESC	Descending
LongDesc	None	Ascending

When the attribute is saved, MicroStrategy checks to see if the primary sort form order is set. The primary sort form order has not changed, so MicroStrategy does not reevaluate the default sort order. The order is still stored as:

• DESC Descending - Primary sort form
• LongDesc Ascending

NOTE: MicroStrategy just checks if the primary sort form order has been unset (changed to 'None'). Changing the order from Descending to Ascending or vice versa does not cause the sort order to be reevaluated.

CASE 4

The attribute from case 3 is modified, the forms are now:

Form Name	Form Type	Default Sort Order
ID	ID	Ascending
DESC	DESC	None
LongDesc	None	Ascending

The primary sort form order has been unset. Upon saving, MicroStrategy will detect the change and reevaluate the default sort order. The attribute sort order is now:

• ID Ascending - Primary sort form
• LongDesc Ascending