Forgotten Realms Wiki:Sorting the years

Ideally, the years should be in numerical order, but the categories are sorted in alphabetical order by default. For example, take the years 14 DR, 135 DR and 1270 DR. If these are placed in the same category with no sort key, they will be ordered as follows:
 * 1270 DR
 * 135 DR
 * 14 DR

This is due to the alphabetical sorting. It is possible to get around this to sort positive years, by assigning sort keys with leading zeros, like this:

This will ensure that all the years are placed in correct numerical order, but has the side effect that they are all categorized under "0".

The problem arises when dealing with negative numbers. Using the same process...

...the years are placed in the correct numerical order in the "-" category, but this is the reverse of the correct chronological order (-14 DR appears before -1270 DR). At the moment I have no suggested solution for this.

Proposal Addition

 * 1) I'd first like to propose that we use a space after the years so entries both before and after 1 DR appear together.
 * 2) I've been working on a system, while it is a bit of work to add to entries, that should give the correct chronological order of negative number years.


 * -2435 DR:

I dont have time to explain it now (when I get some time alter I will). But if you look at the patterns you can see why it should work. Johnnyriot999 21:58, 18 April 2007 (UTC)


 * That looks well confusing mate o_O Zerak talk 22:07, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

Another try
I've got another system that's ALOT simpler this time. It's based around the premise that the history will begin at -35000 DR (the Days of Thunder). For this system all you have to do is add or subtract the year from 35000; subtraction for years before 1 DR and addition for years after. For example:


 * -1081 DR:
 * -1076 DR:
 * -408 DR:
 * 1 DR:
 * 145 DR:

I dont think this system is overly complicated and will allow all the years to be placed in numerical order under one heading. I'm looking to implement this ASAP, if there are no objections. Johnnyriot999 21:11, 12 May 2007 (UTC)


 * That's simpler than falling off my chair. I'd like to second the proposal to use that system. As per the two week policy on proposals, we should probably leave it until 26th May to change this to policy, to give people the time to make alternate proposals or suggestions. Fw190a8 20:07, 17 May 2007 (UTC)


 * I'm still in favor of having one category for "negative" years and one for years after -1 DR Zerak talk 21:27, 17 May 2007 (UTC)


 * I dont want to seem curt, but may I ask why? Johnnyriot999 06:07, 18 May 2007 (UTC)
 * It just seems the simpler approach to me - I think new users will have a hard time figuring out how they need to calculate the year - And what if we get years before -3500? And lastly, when looking through the category, trying to find the year you're looking for will be counter-intuitive. KISS Zerak talk 19:34, 18 May 2007 (UTC)


 * If I may adress these points one at a time. First of all, new users' first few edits are ALWAYS either categorized wrong or not at all (mine included) anyways and the regular editors put them in the right place, so I believe that points a bit of a non-issue. Secondly, I did consider that creating a hard point for the years would make it a rigid system, but I havent found a single reference to anything pre-35000 DR, most notable the Grand History of the Realms which is majoritorily going to be canonized later this year. Lastly, as for the ease-of-use, that is the whole reason I am proposing this. It would put all years within chronological order as opposed to the current system where the negative heading years go backwards and the positive ones are listed in correct order. To me that seems counter-intuitive and is why I've wracked my brain with multiple attempts to fix it. Johnnyriot999 21:27, 18 May 2007 (UTC)


 * Are there any more thoughts on this proposal? Johnnyriot999 13:57, 21 May 2007 (UTC)