# cfxdm - dm:sort

**dm:sort:** This cfxdm tag allows the user to sort the data for a given column(s) in ascending or descending order.

**dm:sort syntax:** It supports the below arguments

* **columns (mandatory)**. It accepts one or more column names. If more than one column is specified, use comma as a separator.
* **order (optional)**. Supported values are '**ascending**' or '**descending**'. When not specified, default applied sort order is 'ascending'

**dm:sort columns = 'COLUMN\_A,COLUMN\_B,..'**

OR

**dm:sort columns = 'COLUMN\_A,COLUMN\_B,..' & order = 'ascending/descending'**

In the below example, for a reference, we are going to use **VMware vROps** as an extension to query the data and ingest it into **dm:sort** tag for applying the sort capability.

Enter the below command to select **VMware vROps VM Summary tag (**\*vrops:**vm\_summary**). (In this example, vrops name is used as a label to identify VMware vROps extension and it's tags. The label is defined while adding the extension in cfxdx configuration file or through UI.)

```
tag *vrops:vm_summary
```

![](/files/-MVKX59QfqdHMCv6j6rB)

**Example 1:** Sort the selected column. (**ascending** order)

Get the data from VMware vROps VM Summary tag (**\*vrops:vm\_summary**) which includes some of the below columns, sort the data by '**datastore**' column.

**Column Names:**

* guest\_hostname
* guest\_ip\_address
* guest\_full\_name
* **datastore**
* ...

Below command queries the data from vROps vm\_summary tag and sorts the data by column name 'datastore' in **ascending** order. (when '**order**' (optional) param is not specified, it sorts in ascending order by default).

```
data --> dm:sort columns = 'datastore'
```

![](/files/-MVV9vKASsVNTwdT-pqf)

**Example 2:** Sort the selected column. (**descending** order)

Get the data from VMware vROps VM Summary tag (**\*vrops:vm\_summary**) which includes some of the below columns, sort the data by '**datastore**' column.

**Column Names:**

* guest\_hostname
* guest\_ip\_address
* guest\_full\_name
* **datastore**
* ...

Below command queries the data from vROps vm\_summary tag and sorts the data by column name 'datastore' in **descending** order. 

```
data --> dm:sort columns = 'datastore' & order = 'descending'
```

![](/files/-MVdaxQboXm2nJPnODS-)

**Example 3:** Sort the selected multiple columns. (**descending** order)

Get the data from VMware vROps VM Summary tag (**\*vrops:vm\_summary**) which includes some of the below columns, sort the data by '**guest\_full\_name**' and '**datastore**' columns.

**Column Names:**

* guest\_hostname
* guest\_ip\_address
* **guest\_full\_name**
* **datastore**
* ...

Below command queries the data from vROps vm\_summary tag and sorts the data by both column names '**guest\_full\_name**' and '**datastore**' in **descending** order. 

```
data --> dm:sort columns = 'datastore,guest_full_name' & order = 'descending'
```

![](/files/-MVdeQS6EbCPNPexr8AO)


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