Deciding how to sort entries in a condensed directory catalog

One of the reasons condensed directory catalogs are small is that they do not contain multiple, sorted views for lookups as Domino® Directories and an extended directory catalogs do. Instead, these types of directory catalogs provide only one option for sorting names, determined by the Sort by field in a Directory catalog configuration document.

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The Sort by choices are:

  • Distinguished name (default) - sorts entries by the Notes® distinguished name, first name, followed by last name.
  • Last name - sorts entries by last name
  • Alternate Fullname - sorts entries by certified alternate names

The Sort by option is unnecessary and unavailable for an extended directory catalog because this type of directory catalog retains the multiple sorted views available in a Domino® Directory.

How the sorting selection affects type-ahead addressing on Notes® clients

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Type-ahead addressing is a feature that assists Notes® users with mail addressing. As a user begins typing a name when addressing mail, type-ahead searches for the name in order to fill in the name automatically for the user.

The Notes® client uses type-ahead addressing to look up a name in a condensed directory catalog only if the user types the name in a way that corresponds to the Sort by selection. For example, if the selected Sort by format is "Distinguished name," type-ahead looks up the name in a condensed directory catalog only when a user types the first name before the last name. Or, if the Sort by format is set to "Last name," type-ahead looks up the name only when a user types the last name before the first name.

Tip: Make sure your Sort by selection corresponds to the way in which type-ahead is typically used in your organization. For example in large, enterprise organizations, users often address mail by entering the recipients' last names, in which case the selection should be set to Last name.

You can create more than one condensed directory catalog for a client, each with a different Sort by selection to accommodate different styles of type-ahead use.

Note: If there is a condensed directory catalog on a Notes® client, type-ahead never searches a directory on a server, even if the client Location document is set to Recipient name type-ahead > Local then Server.

How the sorting selection affects browsing a directory catalog

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The Sort by selection in a condensed directory catalog also determines how names are sorted when users open the directory catalog, for example when using the Select Addresses dialog box to browse the directory catalog.