Sort Platforms by Release Date

[JoeViking245]

Inspired by a Feature Request: Feedback - Sort Platforms by Platform Release Date

Sort Platforms by Release Date or by Title (default).

Setup:
Extract the contents of the zip file into your /LaunchBox/Plugins/ folder.
e.g.  D:\Launchox\Plugins\Sort Platforms\Sort Platforms.dll

Using:
From the Tools menu, select Sort Platforms.
In the plugin window, select Sort by Title (default) or Sort by Release Date then click Apply Sort.
(Optional) Set sort order to Descending (or Ascending).

That's it.  Nothing too fancy here.

 

 

Sort Platforms (v1.0.0).7z

 

@Tsik I think the request may have been yours.

 

[rexryan]

so cool

 

[Tsik]

Wow, JoeViking245 you nailed it (again) man. 😃 You are awesome.
Thank you for the time and effort...

12 hours ago, JoeViking245 said:

@Tsik I think the request may have been yours.

Yes, it was my request, I was building a setup based on the "The History of Video Games" and I came across this small but important (at least for what I want to do) thing that is missing from the LaunchBox shorting filters.

I really hope others will find it useful. 😄

Once more a HUGE THANK YOU!

Edit:
This plug-in even works under the "Platform Category" listing and it does not "break" the Categories being made... super cool! 😎

Edited Wednesday at 07:23 AM by Tsik

[Tsik]

 Hey there again, is it possible/easy for the plug-in to show the current "Sort by..." state?
 I mean that every time I open the plug-in window the "Sort  by..." bullet is on the "... by Title (default)" state and it is a bit confusing when it is not obvious by looking at the list itself especially when you are viewing the "Platforms Category".

 Please don't get me wrong for seeming spoiled and asking for too much, it's not as difficult as it is right now, but I'm thinking of just a "perhaps" to-do in the future.😁😅

Anyway, thanks again. 😄

[JoeViking245]

8 minutes ago, Tsik said:

is it possible/easy for the plug-in to show the current "Sort by..." state?

Short answer, no.

 

Long answer, no.

Of the 4 possible 'states' the sort can be in, 3 of them use the platforms Sort Title field.  e.g. Edit the platform and set the Sort Title.  The 4th one (Title ascending) removes the Sort Title from all the platforms. Putting it in its default sort state.

For Release Date Ascending, the Sort Title is the platforms Release Date, in seconds.  e.g. NES is 427100400 (aka7/15/1983). 

For Release Date Descending, it creates a list of the platforms and seconds (above), reverses the sort order based on the seconds into a new list. Then iterates through that (reversed/descending) list, setting the Sort Title to, starting at 0 (zero) up to the total number of playlists, for each playlist.

For Title Descending, it does the same thing but with the initial sort being based on the title.

So,

• If the Sort Title(s) field is empty, it's sorted by
  • Title ascending.
• If the Sort Title(s) has a number longer than (say) 6 digits, it's sorted by
  • Release Date Ascending
• If the Sort Title(s) has a number less than 5 digits, it's sorted by
  • Title descending
    OR
  • Release Date descending

Essentially being a guessing game for the latter 2.

I suppose I could come up with something really creative for what it uses for the 2 descending sorts to be able to distinguish them apart.  But you'll notice one cool thing, with the plugin window open on top of you LB window, when you click Apply Sort, you can see the sort order change in the LaunchBox window immediately. Well, it may take several milliseconds. But seems pretty fast.

If you're viewing Platform Categories, be sure to expand one of them before opening the plugin. Or Alt+Tab to LB and expand one an Alt+Tab back to the plugin window.  

 

39 minutes ago, Tsik said:

Anyway, thanks again.

You're welcome!

[Tsik]

2 hours ago, JoeViking245 said:

The 4th one (Title ascending) removes the Sort Title from all the platforms.

So that's why the "Sort Title" in one of my Platforms keeps deleted! In fact I believe Its the only one that has a 'Sort Title' field because I need that platform to always be on-top/at beginning of the list and i try to put a (one digit) number in it after using the plug-in the number becomes a "random"  6 digit one. 🤓
 

2 hours ago, JoeViking245 said:

But you'll notice one cool thing, with the plugin window open on top of you LB window, when you click Apply Sort, you can see the sort order change in the LaunchBox window immediately. Well, it may take several milliseconds. But seems pretty fast.

Yes confirming, its immediate.😉
 

2 hours ago, JoeViking245 said:

If you're viewing Platform Categories, be sure to expand one of them before opening the plugin

I'll try to remember that. 😀

[JoeViking245]

29 minutes ago, Tsik said:

So that's why the "Sort Title" in one of my Platforms keeps deleted!

I was going to mention that (what it's actually doing) in my OP.  Then forgot. 😊