Sorting a spreadsheet by mixed data column

It can be sorted descendant as follows:
n/a
n/a
CLOSED
CLOSED
06 March 2011
01 March 2011
20 February 2011
12 December 2010

Bit of a fudge perhaps, but you could assign numbers in an adjacent column, e.g. 1 for the dates, 2 for the n/a, 3 for Closed and then sort by that column.

Hi

Cople of problems here.

jimyX

As per above i need the resultant sort to be:
06 March 2011
01 March 2011
20 February 2011
12 December 2010
n/a
n/a
CLOSED
CLOSED

Not

n/a
n/a
CLOSED
CLOSED
06 March 2011
01 March 2011
20 February 2011
12 December 2010

StephanJR
The dates and status change depending on other variables so having another "order" column doesnt work.
i.e. 20 February 2011 could change to CLOSED

So in general you want to sort dates in reverse order, followed by n/a and CLOSED?

Perhaps its not clear.
I need to sort as above.... the most recent date first untill you run out of dates then all the "n/a"'s then all the "CLOSED"'s

I think that's what I said? You could use a formula, e.g. if your data were in A1 and A8, then this in B1:B8 and then sort by column B. Could be automated with VBA if it's a viable approach.

=IF(ISNUMBER(A1),VALUE(A1),LOOKUP(A1,{"CLOSED","n/a"},{1,2}))

Hi Stephen

Ok that works but i would really like to do it in VBA and without adding a second column.

I did manage to do it in a long winded way in VBA.....must be a better way to do it?
In this case i am sorting by column H


Sort by the column values a-z
Filter out Closed and n/a
Sort by the column values z-a
Filter column to hide Closed and n/a
Sort by column values z-a
Clear filters

 ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets("Register").sort.SortFields.Clear
    ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets("Register").sort.SortFields.Add Key:=Range( _
        "H3:H52"), SortOn:=xlSortOnValues, Order:=xlAscending, DataOption:= _
        xlSortNormal
    With ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets("Register").sort
        .SetRange Range("A2:AT52")
        .Header = xlYes
        .MatchCase = False
        .Orientation = xlTopToBottom
        .SortMethod = xlPinYin
        .Apply
    End With
    ActiveSheet.Range("$A$2:$AS$52").AutoFilter Field:=8, Criteria1:=Array("=" _
        ), Operator:=xlFilterValues, Criteria2:=Array(0, "3/15/2011")
    ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets("Register").sort.SortFields.Clear
    ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets("Register").sort.SortFields.Add Key:=Range( _
        "H3:H52"), SortOn:=xlSortOnValues, Order:=xlDescending, DataOption:= _
        xlSortNormal
    With ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets("Register").sort
        .SetRange Range("A2:AT52")
        .Header = xlYes
        .MatchCase = False
        .Orientation = xlTopToBottom
        .SortMethod = xlPinYin
        .Apply
    End With
    ActiveSheet.Range("$A$2:$AS$52").AutoFilter Field:=8, Criteria1:="=Closed" _
        , Operator:=xlOr, Criteria2:="=n/a"
    ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets("Register").sort.SortFields.Clear
    ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets("Register").sort.SortFields.Add Key:=Range( _
        "H3:H52"), SortOn:=xlSortOnValues, Order:=xlDescending, DataOption:= _
        xlSortNormal
    With ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets("Register").sort
        .SetRange Range("A17:AT92")
        .Header = xlYes
        .MatchCase = False
        .Orientation = xlTopToBottom
        .SortMethod = xlPinYin
        .Apply
    End With
    ActiveSheet.Range("$A$2:$AS$52").AutoFilter Field:=8
Application.ScreenUpdating = True

In VBA you could add the column, sort  and then delete (or hide) the second column without the user seeing. Might be a bit simpler than your approach. Will mock something up.

Hi Stephen

Well that does it for me ..... thanks very much.

I did have one problem because the code deleted a column with data in it so i had to modify it to insert a new column.....

Sub y()

Application.ScreenUpdating = False

With Range("h3", Range("h3").End(xlDown))
    .Offset(, 1).EntireColumn.Insert
    .Offset(, 1).Formula = "=IF(ISNUMBER(h3),VALUE(h3),LOOKUP(h3,{""CLOSED"",""n/a""},{1,2}))"
    .Resize(, 2).sort key1:=Range("i1"), order1:=xlDescending, Header:=xlNo
    .Offset(, 1).EntireColumn.Delete
End With

Application.ScreenUpdating = True

End Sub

Thanks again

Hi
I realise that this question has been closed and i will open a new question to assign points if thats how you do this but i have a slight problem with the code that i am using that i would like to change.

The code above uses h3 which is the top cell of the data i want to sort by but if for any reason further columns are inserted then this code isnt going to work.

Can you tell me how to update the code so that it uses the range name for h2 which is LastChange rather than using h3.

Also can you let me know how i go about awarding points for your answer.
Thanks for your help