# Cylc tui display order

**URL:** <https://cylc.discourse.group/t/cylc-tui-display-order/611>\
**Category:** Cylc Support\
**Created:** [March 21, 2023, 2:30am UTC](https://cylc.discourse.group/t/cylc-tui-display-order/611 "2023-03-21T02:30:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![TomC](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/cylc.discourse.group/tomc/32/115_2.png) [@TomC](https://cylc.discourse.group/u/TomC)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 2:30am UTC](https://cylc.discourse.group/t/cylc-tui-display-order/611/1 "2023-03-21T02:30:01Z")

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Hi,  
I was wondering how the task namespace dispaly order was controlled? I have not looked in the jupyter server as its not configured where I’m testing things, but in the TUI I’m guessing it is in some form of alphabetical order, as per the screenshot below? In the .cylc files, the task namespace definition is in numerical order, -3day to 4day, which is how it displayed in the GUI in Cylc7, and what I expected in the TUI.

![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/free1/uploads/cylc1/original/1X/1c2e080fa2c8ab2b0d6253a668ced8b27241c25b.png)

Has the namespace order configuration changed, or is this just a TUI thing?

Thanks,  
Tom

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**Author:** ![hilary.j.oliver](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/cylc.discourse.group/hilary.j.oliver/32/4_2.png) [@hilary.j.oliver](https://cylc.discourse.group/u/hilary.j.oliver)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 6:04am UTC](https://cylc.discourse.group/t/cylc-tui-display-order/611/2 "2023-03-21T06:04:16Z")

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TUI uses a `NaturalSort` class to _“sort strings as a human would”_. See `cylc/flow/tui/util.py` if you’re interested in exactly how that works.

TUI will grow more features in due course, including sort order options, I expect. First development priority is to feed it by GraphQL subscription, like the web UI, to avoid inefficient regular global updates (this is the main reason for the warning at the top of the screen about it being experimental).

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**Author:** ![MetRonnie](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/cylc.discourse.group/metronnie/32/125_2.png) [@MetRonnie](https://cylc.discourse.group/u/MetRonnie)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2023, 12:15pm UTC](https://cylc.discourse.group/t/cylc-tui-display-order/611/3 "2023-03-21T12:15:16Z")

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I’ve opened a (low priority) issue for this: [TUI natural sort - negative numbers · Issue #5421 · cylc/cylc-flow · GitHub](https://github.com/cylc/cylc-flow/issues/5421) (PR welcome if you want to tackle it yourself)