---
name: "slapo-valsort"
section: "5"
platform: "macos"
package: "OpenLDAP"
version: "561"
release: "macOS 26.5"
platforms: ["linux", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/slapo-valsort"
---

# slapo-valsort(5)

Value Sorting overlay to slapd

## NAME

slapo-valsort - Value Sorting overlay to slapd

## SYNOPSIS

ETCDIR/slapd.conf

## DESCRIPTION

The Value Sorting overlay can be used with a backend database to sort the values of specific multi-valued attributes within a subtree. The sorting occurs whenever the attributes are returned in a search response.

Sorting can be specified in ascending or descending order, using either numeric or alphanumeric sort methods. Additionally, a "weighted" sort can be specified, which uses a numeric weight prepended to the attribute values. The weighted sort is always performed in ascending order, but may be combined with the other methods for values that all have equal weights. The weight is specified by prepending an integer weight {\<*weight*\>} in front of each value of the attribute for which weighted sorting is desired. This weighting factor is stripped off and never returned in search results.

## CONFIGURATION

These *slapd.conf* options apply to the Value Sorting overlay. They should appear after the **overlay** directive.

- valsort-attr \<*attribute*\> \<*baseDN*\> (\<*sort-method*\> \| weighted \[\<*sort-method*\>\])

  Configure a sorting method for the specified *attribute* in the subtree rooted at *baseDN*. The  *sort-method* may be one of **alpha-ascend**, **alpha-descend**, **numeric-ascend**, or **numeric-descend**. If the special **weighted** method is specified, a secondary *sort-method* may also be specified. It is an error to specify an alphanumeric *sort-method* for an attribute with Integer or NumericString syntax, and it is an error to specify a numeric *sort-method* for an attribute with a syntax other than Integer or NumericString.

## EXAMPLES

```
	database bdb
	suffix dc=example,dc=com
	...
	overlay valsort
	valsort-attr member ou=groups,dc=example,dc=com alpha-ascend
```

## FILES

- *ETCDIR/slapd.conf*

  default **slapd** configuration file

## SEE ALSO

[**slapd.conf**(5)](/slapd.conf/5.md), [**slapd-config**(5)](/slapd-config/5.md).

## ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This module was written in 2005 by Howard Chu of Symas Corporation. The work was sponsored by Stanford University.