Help sorting items, as a newbie

[MidnightMayhemn]

Hello! First of all, sorry if this is the wrong site - I couldn’t find any other answers for my question via multiple Google searches (I don’t even really know what keywords to search). Please do let me know if this is the wrong place to ask this :’)

I am a complete newbie to HTML or any kind of code. I have tried to learn multiple times, and only the most basic of markdown is able to stick in my head - everything else flies right past me. So I’m essentially starting from nothing here, and I’d appreciate as thorough and detailed of a response as is possible to give. Don’t be afraid to list things out step-by-step as if I’m a baby. Trust me, I need it. (And apologies if any of my terminology is off or entirely wrong, again, I’m starting from nothing here.)

My issue is as a user of an app that uses HTML in its text boxes. The app creates separate items, that when clicked open into what act as profiles, with spaces to write a name, pronouns, description, etc. These profiles sort in the main list alphabetically via name.
I was wondering if there was any characters I could put in the beginning of the names of these profiles in such a way that they get sorted differently, but have the characters used for sorting be invisible. I understand various spaces can be used, and the amount changed to alter the position in the list, but all of these either A. leave a gap at the beginning of the name that offsets it from the other profiles, or B. are an absolute pain to work with as they are invisible even while editing and therefore can’t be easily highlighted again to copy/remove. I’m looking for something that can be seen while editing the text box but invisible when it’s deselected, like how markdown appears in editing but activates once sent.

I swear I remember seeing somewhere that there is a specific character or markdown or piece of code or something that can be used to turn the characters before it invisible, for sorting purposes. For example, a few names in which are typed:
1[code]Paul
2[code]Daisy
3[code]Alan
would show up as just:
Paul
Daisy
Alan
outside of editing - and therefore those numbers before the code/specific character/etc. are not shown, so they can be used to sort in a specific order that doesn’t appear alphabetical.
However, I’m not sure if I’m misremembering something (which is entirely possible). If there is such a thing, can someone let me know what it is and how to implement it? And if not, is there any other alternative? Thank you, and apologies again if this is the wrong place to ask.

— Midnight, coding newbie

[hasanzaib1389]

Welcome to FFC forum.

It sounds like you’re looking for a way to manipulate the sorting order of profiles within your app’s text boxes using HTML. While HTML itself doesn’t have built-in functionality for invisible characters or sorting manipulation, there are a few approaches you can consider to achieve your goal:

1. Prefix with Special Characters: You can prefix the names of your profiles with special characters that are not typically used in names, such as symbols or punctuation marks. For example, you could use something like @Paul, #Daisy, or *Alan. These characters will affect the sorting order but won’t be visible when the profiles are displayed. However, this approach might not be ideal if you’re looking for a completely invisible solution.

2. Use Zero-Width Space: A zero-width space character (U+200B) is a Unicode character that has no width and is invisible when displayed. You can insert this character at the beginning of your profile names to manipulate the sorting order without affecting the visual appearance of the names. For example, you could write <Zero-Width Space>Paul, <Zero-Width Space>Daisy, <Zero-Width Space>Alan, where <Zero-Width Space> represents the actual zero-width space character. This approach allows you to maintain the alphabetical appearance of the names while controlling the sorting order behind the scenes.

3. Custom Sorting Algorithm: If the app allows for custom sorting algorithms or if you’re developing your own app, you could implement a custom sorting mechanism that takes into account a hidden sorting attribute associated with each profile. This attribute could be a separate field in your data structure that is not displayed to the user but is used for sorting purposes.

4. Backend Sorting: If the app communicates with a backend server, you could handle the sorting logic on the server side before sending the data to the app. This way, you can manipulate the sorting order of profiles without needing to modify the HTML or client-side code.

Ultimately, the best approach depends on the specific requirements and constraints of your app. If you provide more details about the platform or technology stack you’re working with, I can offer more tailored advice. Additionally, experimenting with different methods in a controlled environment can help you determine the most suitable solution for your needs. Let me know if you need further clarification or assistance!