Sort a Table with Roman Numerals

Thanks for the response.  At least I won't be wasting time looking for something that can't readily be done.

I'm not aware of any way to sort on Roman numerals using the Table, Sort menu. If you have Excel, you could create a table and use Arabic numbers, then sort by the Arabic. After the sort is complete, use the Roman() function to convert the Arabic numbers to Roman Numerals. Then copy and paste the Excel table into Word.

If this is something that will be done quite frequently, you could write some code to accomplish this.

No need for Excel!

One method,in Word, is to enter the roman numerals into the table with a formula field, using the number in arabic numerals equivalent, with a format field code that converts it to roman:

To create the formula, place the cursor in a cell in the table, insert menu, click field; in the list highlight =formula; click field codes; after the equal sign type a number in arabic numerals (e.g 97), space, then \*ROMAN (if you want upper case letters) or \*roman if you want lower case. Click OK. The arabic number then appears in roman numeral format (e.g. XCVII)

Press alt+F9 to toggle between field code view and number view. The field code will look like this:

{ =97 \*ROMAN } for capital letter XCVII or { =97 \*roman } for lower case xcvii

You can copy this formula to all the cells in the column, then to change the numbers in the cells, press Alt +F9 to show the field codes, edit the arabic numbers. press alt +F9 to toggle back to the Roman numbers. If you copied and edited the formula, it won't at first show the changed number: highlight the whole column, press F9 to update all fields.

To sort,  press Alt+F9 to show the field codes, then with the cursor in any cell in the table, Table menu, sort, select the column with the field codes, select sort by number, ascending, it sorts them correctly by the arabic numbers. Then press Alt +F9 again to see the Roman numbers.

An alternative might be to add a column with the equivalent arabic numerals, sort by that, then delete the column.

A third way would be to write a macro, see  http://wiki.tcl.tk/1823

Message Edited by JRosenfeld on 12-02-200511:46 PM

Message Edited by JRosenfeld on 12-02-2005 11:47 PM

Apologies for many edits. It's easier to do than to describe without typos:-)

Message Edited by JRosenfeld on 12-02-2005 11:47 PM