Merging sort fields enables you to treat multiple fields as one for the purposes of sorting. This feature is used in conjunction with multiple projections. (See Defining a multiple projection and Understanding multiple projections for more information.)
The field that you select for merging will be merged with the field that precedes it in the Sort Fields list. The field that you are merging with can be a break field, but the field being merged cannot. Sort fields that are merged together must be the same data type and length and must be sorted in the same order.
| 1. | Highlight the sort field that you want to merge. |
| 2. | Select Sort functions > Merge sort fields. |
The Merge sort fields function is a toggle; select it again to un-merge the fields.
When a sort field has been merged, a letter M appears in the FLAGS column for that field in the Sort Fields list. You cannot move a merged sort field (or the field with which it is merged), nor can you split merged sort fields by moving another field between them. ReportWriter treats merged fields as a pair and skips the position between the merged fields when you move other fields in the list.
You must delete merged sort fields in “last in, first out” order (in other words, from the bottom up).
