Sort files

Sort criteria control the order of items in the active Explorer tab. Add more than one criterion when ties in the first field should be resolved by another field.

Choose a sort

1. Choose Sort above the File view.
2. If the complete editor is not open, choose Edit all sorts at the start of the Sort row.
3. In Sort by, choose a field and Ascending or Descending.

You can sort by Name, Extension, Size, Created, Modified, or Kind. A Workspace Folder also offers its applicable properties, and available metadata fields appear when Phials has discovered them for the folder.

If Folders First is enabled in Settings, folders remain ahead of files. The active criteria still determine the order within the folder and file sets.

Sort by several criteria

1. Choose Add sort in the complete editor.
2. Choose the next field and direction.
3. Repeat for each additional tie-breaker.

Phials applies the criteria from left to right. For example, Kind — Ascending, then Name — Ascending puts each kind together and alphabetizes items within that kind. A final Name comparison keeps otherwise equal items in a predictable order.

To change precedence, remove criteria with their close controls and add them again in the intended order. Phials does not add the same field twice.

Reset sorting

Choose Reset in the complete Sort editor. Phials restores the baseline Name — Ascending criterion.

Sorting is part of the current File view configuration. If a saved view is active, a sort change marks that view as changed; use Save view settings to keep it or Reset view to restore the saved criteria. Without a saved view, the change belongs to the Explorer tab and is not saved as the folder’s reusable configuration.

See Update or reset a saved view to keep a sort with the rest of a view.