Weird file sort order

[kumarkumar]

I have a TV which has its own weird "method" of sorting media files. The manual specification doesn't talk anything about it. I always wanted to find this method.
I turned to my Windows7 computer to figure what this "method" could be. Whatever file properties windows explorer displays (Size, Date modified, Date created, Date last saved, Content created, Date, Bit rate, etc.), I tried sorting by them. Still it wouldn't match that that my TV uses.
Then yesterday I happened to find this program called "File Attributes Editor" (link). I was surprised to see that the default file sorting order of this program is the same as used my TV. I couldn't find any contact of the author to ask him what this "method" is. So I am posting it here, if anyone can figure this out.

[kumarkumar]

Sorry got it after some fiddling.

There was some strange problem in the flash drive that contained the files. I cut & copied all the files to my computer and then copied all of them back to the flash drive. Now the sorting is having some sense.

It sorts by name, but not like what windows does. In Windows if there are numbers in filename then it would sort as

File 1

File 2

File 4

File 11

File 33

In my TV the above files sort as below (and it makes sense now, but prior to all the cut paste, it was sort of like random).

File 1

File 11

File 2

File 33

File 4

Edited September 6, 2013 by kumarkumar

[bphlpt]

You might want to check this out as further explanation. I believe that what it describes is true for all versions of Windows, XP and later.

I guess you could say that apparently your TV uses the classic Win2K sort method.

Cheers and Regards

Edited September 6, 2013 by bphlpt

[jaclaz]

And the "solution" (if needed) is to "pad" numbers on the left with 0's to the max number.

I.e.

1->01

2>02

etc.

should give you same order from 01 to 99 on both devices.

jaclaz

[kumarkumar]

Thanks bphlpt & jaclaz.

There is still something strange with the flash drive (HP v220w). In my flash drive, if I add media files to a folder containing exisiting files, even though the new filenames begin with the letter A, they appear at the end in my TV (and in that File Attributes Editor program too). Windows sorts them correctly though.

I have do that cut paste operation for all the files between the flash drive & my computer to get them sorted correctly.

I think the flash drive is the culprit. Don't know what is it thats changing between the file moves.

[Tripredacus]

So that explains what I see on my file server and I always wonder why the folders are "out of order" because I'm still thinking in Windows 2000 terms! This is what I am seeing:

Its not a natural way of viewing files with numbers if you ask me.

[Guest]

I totally agree, Tripredacus. Microsoft had to dumb it down for the average consumer, which was not exposed to DOS.

[jaclaz]

Well, in the case of Tripredacus, the numbers are hex numbers with a given (four characters format), and thus even in a number of apps/tools (as an example a spreadsheet) may be interpreted alternatively as "text" or as numbers, in his example "considering them as text" is actually "good" and corresponds to "proper" hex number ordering.

Examples:

1111 <- this is both a valid decimal number AND a valid "fixed format" hex number AND text

111A <- this is NOT a valid decimal number BUT a valid "fixed format" hex number AND text

AAAA <- this is NOT a valid decimal number BUT a valid "fixed format" hex number AND text

So, the way of sorting them as in the screenshot posted is actually not only "natural", but the only "logical" one.

jaclaz