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Is there a convenient way to load the order of a stored jQuery UI Sortable list?

I'd prefer not to do this server side (extra complication/work for the server), and since the only users that would be resorting the list will have javascript, might as well utilize javascript to reorder it on page load.

The desired scenario:

  • All data is stored as a normal javascript array using persistjs or sent to the client on page load (as a native array).
  • The list should be static HTML (friendly to non-js clients) (and should not be appended to an empty list, as other users in previous questions suggest)
  • If there's no stored preference, nothing happens. The normal list is just left as is.

Any ideas? I think this question will benefit a LOT of users, so I'm hoping for a very elegant, simple solution (no messy hacks like deleting a stock list then appending the configuration to a new one). Preferably something that just looks at an array of IDs and (as best as possible (some items may be added, some may be removed)) and puts them in the same order.

Thanks! =]

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You will have to reorder it after the page loads the way you want it. And you will have to build the array for the client side ordering on the server side any way.

I think it is better to just show the sortable items in the way they should appear on the server side. The list should be static HTML (friendly to non-js clients) you said that, right?

If you really insist to do it on the client browser (with which I disagree), read that - jQuery.sortable. change the order by JS

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9 Comments

But you missed the point that non-js clients wouldn't have sorted the list at all. For the purposes of answering the question, assume that their preferences will never even be stored on the server. All resorting should be done on the client. Anything else just gets unacceptably messy/hacky, which is hard to maintain, extend, or even use.
And how will non-JS clients sort/re-sort it if they do not have JS enabled?
They won't have ever sorted the list; they'd see the default ordering. There's no reason to account for that since they'd never have sorted the list to begin with. Their browser wouldn't execute the javascript that loads their order preferences OR the javascript that lets them reorder them period, so again, not an issue.
Very, very simple example of an intelligent way to resort an list alphabetically: jsfiddle example. This is intelligent because NO list nodes are recreated; they're simply re-ordered. Events and functions tied to them before the sort remain to function as if nothing happened.
The LI are removed and the appended. Check detach docs. But despite of that it is a good way to do what you want. Go with it.
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