Use the SortOnClick property to specify the action that the control performs when the user clicks the column's header. Use the SortChildren method to sort a column, at runtime. Use the DisplaySortIcon property to hide the sort icon if the column is sorted. Use the DefaultSortOrder property to specify the column's default sort order, when the user first clicks the column's header. The control fires the ColumnClick event when the user clicks the column's header.

There are two methods to get the items sorted like follows:

• Using the SortOrder property of the Column object. The following VB snippet of code sorts the column "Column 1" ascending:

  ComboBox1.Columns("Column 1").SortOrder = SortAscending

  The SortOrder property adds the sorting icon to the column's header, if the DisplaySortIcon property is True.

• Using the SortChildren method of the Items collection. The SortChildren sorts the items. The SortChildren method sorts the child items of the given parent item in the control. SortChildren will not recourse through the tree, only the immediate children of the item will be sorted. The following sample sorts descending the list of root items on the "Column 1"( if your control displays a list, all items are considered being root items ).

  ComboBox1.Items.SortChildren 0, "Column 1", False

The control fires the Sort event when the control sorts a column ( the user clicks the column's head ) or when the sorting position is changed in the control's sort bar. Use the Sort event to sort the data when the SortOnClk property is exUserSort