1 row will not sort with other rows (& it's not frozen)

[chay_baku]

As the title suggest, every time I try to sort the spreadsheet by any column, 1 specific row of information will always be first (it’s technically the 1st when sorted by the A column), & i need help solving this.
I suspect it may have been frozen to the first row, but that is not the case when i choose to freeze/unfreeze it (I hate that it doesn’t tell you that a row or column is frozen) & it still appearing on the 1st row.
I’ve also have manually typed all that information on a new row & delete the prior one, but that new row will sort into the 1st row spot again.
To make things weirder, I’ve actually copied & pasted the row & when I sort the spreadsheet both of the duplicate rows sort themselves in the appropriate place, but when I delete either one, the remaining row will go back to the 1st row spot.

EDIT: I’ve also noticed that cells B & C are the only cells with solid black borders like the rest of the sheet.
All the other cells (A, D-H) in the row have a noticeably thinner border lines, yet the program doesn’t see a difference as I try to manually make them thicker, but nothing happens.

[Wanderer]

@chay_baku

To make things weirder

it seems to be not possible to share the data for inspection. So my guess is you ask for an open brain-storming, without being inhibited by actual data.
.

@chay_baku

1 specific row of information will always be first

My usual guess here is wrong format (text vs numbers) but I have no clue how to explain your

@chay_baku

but when I delete either one, the remaining row will go back to the 1st row spot.

So good luck with searching for the cause…

[Villeroy]

Select the range in question.
menu:Data>Define… and give a name
Under “Options” uncheck “Contains column labels”.
Click [Add]
Click [OK]

[chay_baku]

that didn’t work.
that row of information is still placing itself on top.

[fpy]

@chay_baku

weirder

@Wanderer

good luck

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[EarnestAl]

If you have defined a range that excludes the first row but includes the other rows then the first row will not be sorted. See if there are any ranges defined. Click in a blank area so only one cell is selected, then click Data > Define range, a contiguous block is likely to be selected but look to see if there are any named ranges. If so, click on that name and it will show the extent of the range in the Range field. Alter the starting point of the range to include the first row, in image below change $A$2 to $A$1

Cheers, Al

[robleyd]

@chay_baku
It would almost certainly save a lot of time and angst if you were to upload a sample file that displays the problem you are having.

[Villeroy]

@chay_baku

that didn’t work.

Use the sort dialog with the named database range. The sort settings are stored. After inserting new rows or editing rows, menu:Data>Refresh restores the last applied sort order.
The quick sort buttons don’t recognize any database ranges.

Alternatively, insert a row of column headers, so the quick sort buttons to the right thing when they detect a header row. They do so when the first row is filled with text without numbers nor blanks.

[chay_baku]

there are no define ranges

[Villeroy]

quickSort.ods (17.7 KB) (spreadsheet with StarBasic library and custom toolbar “Quick Sort”)

The macro sorts the database range at the active cell by the column where the active cell is reading if the db range is defined with column headers or not. The 2 first buttons on the toolbar trigger that job sorting the text-only db ranges in column A and C properly.
If there is no database range at the active cell, the macro calls the built-in quick sort command which may fail to detect headers properly. This works properly with columns E and G because there are numeric values to be sorted.
Column I fails to sort properly because it is text-only with header, but with no db range where the header is declared.

[chay_baku]

I don’t know how to replicate this issue since the other sheets (in the same file) do not do this

[chay_baku]

there are no defined ranges

[chay_baku]

Refreshing does nothing.
I used to have a header row but I removed it since it gave me way more problems since it will sort itself even though it was frozen to the first row

[Villeroy]

Recreate that header row, define a db range with that header row being declared and everything should work satisfactory as long as you do not use the built-in quick sort buttons and as long as you don’t have overlapping db ranges.
The best way to organize row sets in LibreOffice is a true database.

[Lupp]

@chay_baku

That didn’t work.
That row of information is still placing itself on top.

What “row of information”?

@chay_baku

I hate that it doesn’t tell you that a row or column is frozen

Who is “it”?
Only starting rows/columns can be frozen. Having set a freeze, the situation is clearly shown by horizontal/vertical lines.

Since there was a lot of confusion in this thread, I still suspect that the hint concerning the option Range contains column labels under Sort Options in the respective dialog was misunderstood or disregarded.

[chay_baku]

@Lupp

What “row of information”?

The specific row of information that is placing itself on the 1st row whenever the sheet is being sorted.

@Lupp

Who is “it”?

The program itself.
Should have specified that, though it’s an off-topic gripe.

[keme1]

A shot in the dark:
I assume that you use the A-Z/Z-A toolbar icons. Calc will often assume that your sort range contains a heading row. This corresponds to @Villeroy’s comment about defining a named range.

If that is indeed the cause of your troubles …

Quick-and-dirty solution

If you select menu item Data - Sort first, and untick the “contains column headings” entry, this setting may stick on subsequent sorts. I find that it sometimes does, also when you use the toolbar icons, and sometimes it does not. My guess is that your adding an identical row may have convinced Calc that “This is data, not a heading”.

Proper solution

A better solution, which only requires a few additional clicks in the first setup, is to use the named range as explained by @Villeroy. That should make the headings setting persistent, also after you save/reopen.

[Villeroy]

@keme1

That should make the headings setting persistent, also after you save/reopen.

Unless you click A-Z/Z-A which ignores the defined ranges.

Opposite complaint, same problems: How do I sort rows without including first row? - #19 by Villeroy

[erAck]

And that still looks like a bug to me… unless there was some reason due to unfounded user expectations.

[Villeroy]

I doubt that this is a bug. I’d rather suspect that it is implemented this way.