Lists
Sorting
A list can be shown in several orders, and the order is per list.
The orders
| Order | What it does |
|---|---|
| Chronological | Oldest first. The order you wrote things. |
| Reverse chronological | Newest first. |
| Alphabetical | A to Z by text. |
| Reverse alphabetical | Z to A. |
| Modified | Most recently edited first. |
| Manual | Whatever order you dragged them into. |
| Auto-sort | Grouped into sections by kind. See auto-sort |
Why chronological is the default
Because it matches how days work, and because a list you wrote top to bottom reads back correctly. Reverse chronological is better for anything you treat as a feed, like a running log where the latest entry is the one you want.
Setting a default for new lists
Settings Lists & <i>Things</i> Default sort sets the order new lists start in. Changing it does not touch existing lists.
Going further
Sorting does not move anything. It is a view, not an edit. Switching a list to alphabetical and back leaves your manual order intact underneath.
Manual order survives. Dragging things into a deliberate order sets the manual order, and switching to another sort and back returns to it.
Completed things sort separately. Whether they stay in place or collect at one end is its own setting. See progress and completed things.
Settings that change this
- Settings Lists & <i>Things</i> Default sort sets the order for new lists.
- Settings Lists & <i>Things</i> Completed to-dos at top puts finished things above rather than below.
Tips
- Reverse chronological for anything you append to daily. Chronological for anything you read as a document.
- Alphabetical is best on reference lists you look things up in, and worst on lists with a natural order.