Title: Sorting Issue Last modified: August 22, 2016 --- # Sorting Issue * Resolved [BillyMasters](https://wordpress.org/support/users/billymasters/) * (@billymasters) * [11 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sorting-issue-1/) * I’ve found lots of posts talking about how to enable a sorting button for the end-user to be able to choose how they want to sort the gallery they’re looking at – i.e. alphabetically by name of the file, or by date of upload (those are the two options I’d ideally like viewers to be able to choose from). * The way that is typically described is to go to Galley > Options > Sort options > Sort thumbnails > Custom order. * That sounds simple enough, except I don’t have those options. I am on NextGen Gallery 2.0.66.37, but when I click on Gallery, I have Gallery > Gallery Settings or Gallery > Other Options. And none of them has Sort Option. * What am I doing wrong????? * [https://wordpress.org/plugins/nextgen-gallery/](https://wordpress.org/plugins/nextgen-gallery/) Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 16 total) 1 [2](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sorting-issue-1/page/2/?output_format=md) [→](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sorting-issue-1/page/2/?output_format=md) * Plugin Contributor [photocrati](https://wordpress.org/support/users/photocrati/) * (@photocrati) * [11 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sorting-issue-1/#post-5605008) * [@billymasters](https://wordpress.org/support/users/billymasters/) – Have you set a specific default sort order under Gallery > Other Options > Image Options that is not the default Custom / Ascending? * – Cais. * Thread Starter [BillyMasters](https://wordpress.org/support/users/billymasters/) * (@billymasters) * [11 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sorting-issue-1/#post-5605063) * Nope – in Gallery > Other Options > Image Options it is set to Custom / Ascending. * Thread Starter [BillyMasters](https://wordpress.org/support/users/billymasters/) * (@billymasters) * [11 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sorting-issue-1/#post-5605090) * I can give you login information if you PM me. clearly I’m doing something wrong. * Plugin Contributor [photocrati](https://wordpress.org/support/users/photocrati/) * (@photocrati) * [11 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sorting-issue-1/#post-5605101) * [@billymasters](https://wordpress.org/support/users/billymasters/) – try going to Gallery > Manage Galleries > select any gallery you want > on the gallery editing screen hit Sort Gallery (it will be next to the bulk actions). I think perhaps you’re just looking in the wrong spot. * Thanks, * -Drew * Thread Starter [BillyMasters](https://wordpress.org/support/users/billymasters/) * (@billymasters) * [11 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sorting-issue-1/#post-5605106) * Hi Drew, * OK, I’ve gone to Gallery > Manage Galleries > selected the gallery * And next to Bulk actions I have the Sort Gallery button. * Then I get to the Sort Gallery page. * under Sort Gallery I have the Update Sort Order Button * Below that, I have a line that says Presort: Unsorted, Image ID, Filename, Alt/ Title text. Date/Time, Ascending, Descending * Unsorted is in bold and Ascending is in bold. * I don’t see a place that says Custom……so what should I try next? * Plugin Contributor [photocrati](https://wordpress.org/support/users/photocrati/) * (@photocrati) * [11 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sorting-issue-1/#post-5605129) * @BillMasters – you can drag and drop the images around and change their order to something custom – then hit Update Sort Order : ) * Best, * -Drew * Thread Starter [BillyMasters](https://wordpress.org/support/users/billymasters/) * (@billymasters) * [11 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sorting-issue-1/#post-5605136) * Nope, that didn’t work either. I moved the images around, then clicked on Update Sort Order. It doesn’t change the order at all, and on the page, no option for the user to do anything (other than view as a slideshow). It did retain the new order, however….. * The page is: * [http://www.billymasters.tv/celeb/](http://www.billymasters.tv/celeb/) * I am clearly doing something very basic wrong….but I simply cannot find it. I’m happy to give you any other information or access you need to solve this problem * And my second question will be this – I’m using the NextGEN: gallery-caption. php template. But I’d like to set it to show the filename as the caption…. * Thanks again…. * Plugin Contributor [photocrati](https://wordpress.org/support/users/photocrati/) * (@photocrati) * [11 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sorting-issue-1/#post-5605157) * [@billymasters](https://wordpress.org/support/users/billymasters/) – The sort issue may require our next (beta) release to correct. Although there will still not be an option for your users (read: visitors to your site) to change the order. * As to showing the image filename, the default details that go into the “Alt & Title” field will be the filename. The “captions” template displays the “description” field. You can create a custom template that will display the “Alt & Title” field instead or as well. * Here is a Gist that should help you get started: [https://gist.github.com/Cais/7337271](https://gist.github.com/Cais/7337271) * Thanks! * – Cais. * Thread Starter [BillyMasters](https://wordpress.org/support/users/billymasters/) * (@billymasters) * [11 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sorting-issue-1/#post-5605161) * Thanks Cais. I just want to get this straight – what you’re in essence saying is that NextGEN does NOT have the function for sorting by the user/visitors to the site. Because I guess I’ve either misinterpretted some posts online or there is some erroneous information out there. * It is good to know that it’s not just me – I’ve been spinning my wheels for days trying to get this to work, and now it appears it isn’t something that is even possible…. * If anyone has suggestions on a gallery plugin that does allow for the user to decide if they want to sort alphabetically or by date, do let me know – I could use some suggestions…. * Plugin Contributor [photocrati](https://wordpress.org/support/users/photocrati/) * (@photocrati) * [11 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sorting-issue-1/#post-5605162) * [@billymasters](https://wordpress.org/support/users/billymasters/) – It’s still an interesting idea … please feel free to share your thoughts and ideas on it here: [http://nextgen-gallery.com/feature-voting/](http://nextgen-gallery.com/feature-voting/) * Thanks! * – Cais. * Thread Starter [BillyMasters](https://wordpress.org/support/users/billymasters/) * (@billymasters) * [11 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sorting-issue-1/#post-5605164) * Thanks for the help, Cais. * Three quick questions about your captions template. * 1) Some of the image file names are too long and running into the next column. Is there something we could add to the script to give it a maximum number of letters to show and then maybe a “…”? You’ll see how it looks here: * [http://www.billymasters.tv/celeb/](http://www.billymasters.tv/celeb/) * 2) Another option would be to make the font for these captions ONLY slightly smaller, or a different font face, or something like that. I don’t want to play with your template too much, but if you tell me which fields to tweak, I can try a few options. * 3) If the viewer clicks to view as slideshow, can we add captions to that as well? I think that’s part of the slideshow I chose, but just checking with you. * That may be it….for now 😉 * Plugin Contributor [photocrati](https://wordpress.org/support/users/photocrati/) * (@photocrati) * [11 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sorting-issue-1/#post-5605169) * [@billymasters](https://wordpress.org/support/users/billymasters/) – You could probably work with some custom CSS (possibly some custom template as well) to encapsulate the caption text … then possibly leverage the `dotdotdot.js` JavaScript library we bundle with the plugin (this is beyond our scope of support to implement but could be doable) to display an ellipsis ( … ). * As far as captions on the slideshow, the NextGEN Basic Slideshow does not display captions whereas the NextGEN Pro Slideshow will, but that slideshow display is not linkable from the Basic Thumbnails display. * If you are referring to the Lightbox Effect, not all of the ones we bundle as a convenience will display the image descriptions but most will, you might try a different effect to see if it suits your needs better. * Thanks! * – Cais. * Thread Starter [BillyMasters](https://wordpress.org/support/users/billymasters/) * (@billymasters) * [11 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sorting-issue-1/#post-5605171) * Thanks Cais. Maybe, instead of abbreviating the filename, either having a limit to how long a name can be, or having it wrap to a second line if its too long to fit under the thumbnail…. * Plugin Contributor [photocrati](https://wordpress.org/support/users/photocrati/) * (@photocrati) * [11 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sorting-issue-1/#post-5605180) * [@billymasters](https://wordpress.org/support/users/billymasters/) – There are a lot of variables involved in what you are looking at including the width of the thumbnail image itself. * – Cais. * [thetackboard](https://wordpress.org/support/users/thetackboard/) * (@thetackboard) * [11 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sorting-issue-1/#post-5605181) * i’ve been following this thread closely because i’m having the same issue. I have been able to sort my gallery files using the “custom” setting in the past, but the setting isn’t available anymore. Not sure if it’s due to something i did… a nextgen update maybe? pretty frustrating. Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 16 total) 1 [2](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sorting-issue-1/page/2/?output_format=md) [→](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sorting-issue-1/page/2/?output_format=md) The topic ‘Sorting Issue’ is closed to new replies. * ![](https://ps.w.org/nextgen-gallery/assets/icon-256x256.png?rev=2083961) * [Photo Gallery, Sliders, Proofing and Themes - NextGEN Gallery](https://wordpress.org/plugins/nextgen-gallery/) * [Frequently Asked Questions](https://wordpress.org/plugins/nextgen-gallery/#faq) * [Support Threads](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/nextgen-gallery/) * [Active Topics](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/nextgen-gallery/active/) * [Unresolved Topics](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/nextgen-gallery/unresolved/) * [Reviews](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/nextgen-gallery/reviews/) ## Tags * [nextgen](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/nextgen/) * [sort](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/sort/) * 16 replies * 3 participants * Last reply from: [photocrati](https://wordpress.org/support/users/photocrati/) * Last activity: [11 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sorting-issue-1/page/2/#post-5605188) * Status: resolved