Sort with custom alphabet

[phunanon]

Can I sort with a custom alphabet? Especially one which allows more than one character per item. I have a language lexicon in Calc I need to sort alphabetically, but it’s not on the list of languages.

Thank you

Extra detail: the alphabet is:
manopebutidqkágóyéwúsízq́càjòfèvùxìlq̀

note: the vowels q́ and q̀ are actually two characters - the diacritics are a character which goes above the last character.

[Lupp]

I don’t precisely know how locales influence sorting. If you prefer to be widely independent of the standard sort on any locale you may find a solution for your problem adapting what was suggested in this thread the topic of which is touching your request.

If you can describe your “custom alphabet” and the related lexicography in more detail someone might suggest a simpler/easier/more efficient solution.

= Editing to attach an example for demonstrating possible solutions =
ask52352ExampleDataByLupp001.ods

= And to attach a preliminary solution using a (very simple and often useful) custom function =
ask52352ExampleDataByLupp002.ods

[phunanon]

I’ve added more detail to my problem. The link you gave me was complicated enough, but I have to sort multiple rows, with the first column being the key.

[Regina]

Unfortunately, the following way does not work for words, but only for single characters or what ever is directly in the list (names of month for example), see comments below. I’m sorry, no real help.

---

You can use a custom sort order.

1. Step: Generate your custom sort list

• Write your characters of the alphabet in order into a column in a spreadsheet.
• Select all characters together.
• Goto Tools > Options > LibreOffice Calc > Sort Lists.
• You should see the selected range in the field “Copy list from”. If not, enter the correct range.
• Click on button “Copy”. You should see your alphabet as comma separated list in the field “List”.
• If something is wrong, select your list and correct the errors in the field “Entries”.

2. Step: Use your custom sort list

• Mark the range, which you want to sort.
• Goto Data > Sort.
• Goto tab “Options” of that dialog.
• Check the option “Custom sort order” and select your alphabet from the drop down list.

[Lupp]

This is very interesting for me, too. Unfortunately I could only get it working for some columns containing 1 or 0 “letters” of the alphabet everyone. I failed with words. Would you mind to demonstrate your solution in an example I prepared? You find it attached by editing to the answer I tried…

[Regina]

Yes, unfortunately you are right I had used and tested it for single characters only.

[Lupp]

What a pity! (I already had tried the “custom-sort-list-idea” with the Maya scripts from the other forum. I hoped someone could make it work.)

I also should point out that my example contained an error: The second composed “letter” was, by misfortune the same as the first one. I will soon add a new example rectifying this and containing a possible solution. This solution will be, alas, not really simple.