python macros libreoffice libreoffice-calc

Converting a Libre/Star/Openoffice Basic macro to python - issue with object types

I'm writing a python macro that needs to call LibreOffice Calc's Sort function. Python documentation is scarce, but I found a clear Basic example that I'm trying to convert to python.

It was going well until Section 1 and Section 2 below. Basic creates an oSortFields() object array, but the python interpreter would not accept oSortFields(). oSortFields was as close as I could get.

So when it calls the sort command in Section 3, the mismatch causes an AttributeError.

What is the python equivalent of Basic's oSortFields()?

#basic# Dim oSortFields(1) As New com.sun.star.util.SortField
from com.sun.star.util import SortField
oSortFields = SortField

#basic# Dim oSortDesc(0) As New com.sun.star.beans.PropertyValue
from com.sun.star.beans import PropertyValue
oSortDesc = PropertyValue

#basic# oSheet = ThisComponent.Sheets.getByName("Sheet1")
oSheet = ThisComponent.getSheets().getByIndex(0)

#basic# REM Get the cell range to sort
#basic# oCellRange = oSheet.getCellRangeByName("A1:C5")
oCellRange = oSheet.getCellRangeByName("B1:M30")

################# Section 1 ################# 
#basic# REM Sort column B (column 1) descending.
#basic# oSortFields(0).Field = 1
#basic# oSortFields(0).SortAscending = FALSE
oSortFields.Field = 11  # close as I could get
oSortFields.SortAscending = False

################# Section 2 ################# 
#basic# REM If column B has two cells with the same value,
#basic# REM then use column A ascending to decide the order.
#basic# oSortFields(1).Field = 0 ### Skipped and prayed
#basic# oSortFields(1).SortAscending = True
# Now I'm really in trouble

#basic# oSortDesc(0).Name = "SortFields"
#basic# oSortDesc(0).Value = oSortFields() 
oSortDesc.Name = "SortFields"
oSortDesc.Value = oSortFields

################# Section 3 ################# 
#basic# REM Sort the range.
#basic# oCellRange.Sort(oSortDesc())
oCellRange.Sort(oSortDesc())
# Gemerates Error:  
#   <class 'AttributeError'>: Sort StockDataFromYahoo.py:212
#   in function StockOptionParty() [oCellRange.Sort(oSortDesc())]
#   pythonscript.py:870 in function invoke() [ret = self.func( *args )]

Solution

Create objects of type SortField and put them into a tuple. Here is what worked for me:

import uno
from com.sun.star.beans import PropertyValue
from com.sun.star.util import SortField

def create_sort_field(column, sort_ascending):
    oSortField = SortField()
    oSortField.Field = column
    oSortField.SortAscending = sort_ascending
    return oSortField

def sort_cols():
    oSheet = XSCRIPTCONTEXT.getDocument().getSheets().getByIndex(0)
    oCellRange = oSheet.getCellRangeByName("B1:M30")
    oSortFields = (
        create_sort_field(11, False),  # column M
        create_sort_field(0, True),)   # column B
    oSortDesc = [PropertyValue()]
    oSortDesc[0].Name = "SortFields"
    oSortDesc[0].Value = uno.Any(
        '[]com.sun.star.util.SortField', oSortFields)
    oCellRange.sort(oSortDesc)

# Functions that can be called from Tools -> Macros -> Run Macro.
g_exportedScripts = sort_cols,