Patent ID: 7216124

Claim:
A method of sorting lists in a software environment comprising a plurality of list types and a sorting program, wherein the sorting program comprises (i) a list sorter comprising a sorting component and a generic data retrieval component configured to provide data to the sorting component; and (ii) a list instance for each of the plurality of list types, each list instance comprising a viewable data retrieval component configured to provide data to the generic data retrieval component and at least one list instance comprising a specific data retrieval component configured to provide data to the sorting component; the method comprising: invoking the sorting component in response to receiving a first request to sort data items of a first list instance; calling the specific data retrieval component of the first list instance if the data items of the first list instance are not sortable in a default format; calling the generic data retrieval component if the data items of the first list instance are sortable in the default format; if the generic data retrieval component is called, calling the viewable data retrieval component; sorting, by the sorting component, the data items of the first list instance; and outputting the sorted data items to a user.