Thread

The channel module makes it easy to SORT by a custom field, but I need to GROUP entries by a custom field and then generate headers (similar {date_header}) to appear before each group.

Is there any way to twist native features to do this, or do I need to resort to custom SQL?

You can use the string plugin to do this.

I posted a code sample for doing this within the rows of a FF Matrix custom field here but the strategy will work just as well to do something similar with a set of entries inside a weblog:entries tag.

Indeed, that is exactly the strategy I need!

(http://ellislab.com/forums/viewthread/157893/)

Your String Plugin looks like a great addon. Curiously, though, is there any advantage to using the plugin over straight PHP conditionals (parsed on output)?

a couple minor advantages in some situations based on EE’s strange parse order (where output PHP would be executed from top to bottom after the EE parser was done with the template), but no if you are comfortable with PHP you can easily use that in this instance.

How might the string plugin be used without a Matrix field to perform the same task? I simply have a channel of stores that I’d like to group by state. State is one of the custom fields in the channel. I’d like to use that same state field as header for each group of stores.

IDAHO

Store #1
Address
Phone

Store #33
Address
Phone

CALIFORNIA

Store #9
Address
Phone

Store #56
Address
Phone

etc…