Please remove from sorting keys @string @xdata

[mafsi]

@xdata & @string are also sorted when --sort=key is passed.

@string{ucp      = {University of California Press}}

@xdata{uchp,
  location      = {New York},
  publisher     = {University of Chicago Press}
}

...
rest of the `.bib` file

[FlamingTempura]

Any reason these should not be sorted? Personal preference or is the order important for biblatex?

[mafsi]

Usually these entries are at the top of the .bib file as references, then added to the references to speed up the process of repeatedly writing certain fields. When they are sorted, they appear interspersed through the references. The idea is that only the references should be sorted, not these entries.

For example:

@string{uchp = {University of Chicago Press}}

@xdata{hum,
  location = {București},
  publisher = {Humanitas}
}

....

@book{lincoln:theorizing,
  title = {Theorizing myth},
  subtitle = {Narrative, ideology, and scholarship},
  author = {Lincoln, Bruce},
  year = {1999},
  pagetotal = {298},
  location = {Chicago},
  publisher = uchp,
  isbn = {0226482022}
}

@book{blaga:trilogyb,
  title = {Trilogy of Culture},
  author = {Blaga, Lucian},
  year = {2011},
  isbn = {978-973-50-2953-1},
  xdata = {hum}
}

[FlamingTempura]

Thanks for clarifying.

To explain how it works currently: @string blocks are treated the same as comments; they glue themselves to the next entry such that they remain above the same entry when sorted. @xdata has no special handling and is sorted the same as any other entry.

Here's my current proposal, keen to get your thoughts. We could allow you to specify special as a sort field to bring any special blocks (@string, @xdata, @preamble, @set) to the top of the file.

This could be combined with other sort fields, e.g. special,key to have special blocks at the top, then sort by key.

[mafsi]

I think your proposal is an excelent idea. Thanks for adding this, and thanks for your work!

[FlamingTempura]

As of v1.11.0 / current web UI, you can specify special as a sort field. I'll close this ticket, but let me know if there are any issues.

[mafsi]

Is working on the website. I'm waiting the NPM package to be updated. Thanks a lot!