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In our product, the user can create a custom sort order of items, so for example ACDB instead of ABCD or DCBA.

Those items are displayed in a table in a later phase. Now the user wants to have their own, ascending and descending sort options to choose from.

How do I visualize a user-made sort option?

I've come up with these icons for now, but I'm not happy with the 'custom' one:

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3 Answers 3

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5
+50

Here's a few ideas I had...

Indicate that items can be dragged with a pointer:

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Show items of different sizes asequentially ordered:

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Use random letters instead of A & Z:

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Use a wavy line:

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2
  • I would just use a funnel instead of a-z then arrows up down and zigzag with sharp corners.
    – joojaa
    Mar 13, 2021 at 5:33
  • I like your 3rd idea! I'll wait a bit for more answers otherwise I'll mark yours
    – Gerlof Leuhof
    Mar 15, 2021 at 19:59
4

Perhaps replace the floppy disk icon with a set of curly braces {} to represent a user-defined script. Or alternatively replace it with a few radio buttons and/or checkboxes in mixed states.

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3
  • Cool suggestions! Although it's nothing really script/checkboxes related because you just change the order by grabbing items and visually drag them up and down. Thanks though!
    – Gerlof Leuhof
    Mar 10, 2021 at 13:51
  • @GerlofLeuhof To me that sounds like a case where you'd use a completely different or no icon. If users can drag the order to make it custom whenever perhaps it'd be better to change how the existing icons look (grayed or something) if a custom order is used.
    – Zach Saucier
    Mar 12, 2021 at 13:34
  • @ZachSaucier They can drag it in one area, but only sort it in a different area. So it's toggling between that custom order you made in a different area + ascending and descending.
    – Gerlof Leuhof
    Mar 12, 2021 at 14:03
1

Since what you're trying to represent is a customization option, you could use something like a "settings" icon. Either sliders or something including a cogwheel.

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