Sorting by category doesn't work

[Tim1217]

Hi,

I have all my contacts grouped into various categories. But when I click the
the Current View radio button to By Category, it just lists them in alpha
order by last name. When I click on the category column I get an error
message saying You cannot sort by this field.

Any thoughts?

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Go to the properties of the view and enable grouping there -- (Arrange By) |
View | Current View | Customize Current View | Grouping

 

[Mike Freeman]

I am having a similar problem. I can get things to show
up in their proper categories, but if I try to sort them
but a column, like the "File As" or "Company" labels, it
lists EVERY contact I have. Is there a way to sort things
only in a specific "active" category? You used to be able
to in the previous version of Outlook. Thanks.

Mike

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

That's a filter, not a sort.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Mike Freeman]

OK, now that that is straight, can you tell me how I can
make XP filter by header like in 2002? Thanks for your
help.

Mike Freeman

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Explain what you mean by "filter by header."

 

[Mike Freeman]

OK, I have several different categories (customers,
personal, internal, etc). If I expand one of those
categories, it will be arranged in alphabetical order by
last name. But, if I want to arrange that category by,
let's say, Company Name, and I click on "Company Name",
it lists my entire list of contacts, not just the ones in
that category. In the previous version of Outlook, it
would only sort the category that I had expanded. Are you
following me? Thanks for your help.

Mike

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Is this Outlook 2003? Make sure you're using grouping set in the view
dialog, not Arrange By grouping

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Mike Freeman]

Yes, I am using Outlook 2003. I am not sure what you mean
when you say, "Make sure you're using grouping set in the
view dialog, not Arrange By grouping" Could you please
contact me off list? My e-mail address is
(e-mail address removed). Thank you so much for all of the
help.

Mike

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

View | Arrange By | Current View | Customize Current View | Group By. Try
clearing the "Automatically group by arrangement" box, then choose your
grouping field(s). After that, set up the sorting within each group in
Customize Current View | Sort.

The way that newsgroups and other online communities work is that responses
are posted in the groups, so that everyone reading them can benefit.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Mike Freeman]

I tried what you have suggested. It works the first time
I open a Category, but the first time I sort by something
other than formated the way you described, it reverts
back to sorting the entire list.

The one difference that I notice between Outlook 2003 and
2002, is that if I sort by a column name (File As,
Company, etc) in 2002, the Sort "button" actually changes
to what I have clicked on. It doesn't change to "None",
which is what 2003 does.

Maybe in all of this screwing around with settings, I may
have actually screwed something up. Is there a way to
reset all of the views, or do I have to reset them all
manually?

Mike F

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Once you get the view set up the way you want, you should not try to re-sort
it with the column headings, for the reason you see.

I don't know what you mean by "the Sort 'button.'"

You can remove all custom views and reset all default views for all folders
by starting Outlook once with the /cleanviews switch. Note that all means
all here. You will have no view customizations at all after using this
switch.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Mike Freeman]

OK, that is what I wanted to find out. In Outlook 2002, I was able to sort
items within a category, without displaying the entire contents of my
Contact List. I often need to go back and forth between sorts by the "File
As" listing and by the "Company" listing. If Microsoft did indeed remove the
ability to do that, it was a stupid stupid thing to do. Thank you for all of
the help that you provided.

Mike Freeman

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

I agree that it's very annoying. You can add your vote to the chorus by
sending a suggestion to (e-mail address removed) and (e-mail address removed).

In the meantime, a partial workaround might be to have two different views
available and either switch between them or have the contacts folder open in
two different windows.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Guest]

I went to define views in the views drop down list and made a copy of phone list (so as not to muck anything up in the list already set up) then modified it by choosing group by categories. Exit the group by and access the sort by and choose full name (or company - whatever you want to sort alphabetically by). Now my list comes up in categories alphabetically. I hope this helps you

----- Mike Freeman wrote: ----

OK, that is what I wanted to find out. In Outlook 2002, I was able to sor
items within a category, without displaying the entire contents of m
Contact List. I often need to go back and forth between sorts by the "Fil
As" listing and by the "Company" listing. If Microsoft did indeed remove th
ability to do that, it was a stupid stupid thing to do. Thank you for all o
the help that you provided

Mike Freema