Allow custom order of categories in category fields

[aloco]

Description

When using a field of type category I would like to order the selected categories on the category field the same way as for entries. I would expect to change the order of categories within the same level, defaulting to the order of the category type which can be set on the categories page of the CP.

Steps to reproduce

1. Create a category field
2. Select some categories
3. Try to order the categories via drag and drop, like you can do with entries

Additional info

• Craft version: Craft Pro 3.7.30.1
• PHP version: 7.4.16
• Database driver & version: MySQL 5.7.36
• Plugins & versions:

[brandonkelly]

This is currently working as intended, so converted to a discussion.

[MattAppleton]

We were hoping this might be possible too — working on a new project today, where allowing the client to order categories per-entry would be a lovely feature :)

[alexanderloewe]

I would love to see this option included.
However, I would also like to have the option to prevent free sorting.

Is it also planned that only when selecting level 2 or 3 categories, the parents can not be selected, like with an entry field?

[iparr]

I keep hitting situations on very different projects with very different clients where easily giving priority to categories would be very nice, so giving this a 👍

[splendidrob]

Come up against this issue on every project, all clients ask why they cant re-order the categories they have selected...

[garycrane]

+1 for this. Guessing this will go away with 'entries everywhere' in Craft 5?

[brandonkelly]

This was previously requested by #8748, so marking this as a duplicate.

[brandonkelly]

This has been resolved for Craft 4.4, which adds a new “Maintain hierarchy” setting to Categories and Entries fields, giving them control over whether the specific order/hierarchy of the category/entry structure should be enforced by the field. (#11088)

[iparr]

Same here @grtdb - this doesn't match what I was expecting I'm afraid:

• I can't re-order categories with drag/drop.
• If I select a 'leaf' at the end of a 'tree' I expected that and only that to be selected. It is, but then when I hit 'save' its parents re-appear (albeit without any suggestion of hierarchy).
• If I removed a 'branch' between the 'leaf' and the 'trunk' (god, I've got to get better analogies for this), then hit the remove cross, then it will go but upon save it re-appears. I think i know why this is happening but I can imagine it is potentially very confusing for non-technical editors.

Very sorry! I personally don't understand the use-case for this behaviour as this wouldn't allow me to do anything different with this field in the front-end either, right?

[brandonkelly]

@grtdb @iparr Sorry, that was a bug. Fixed for the next release (9dc6511)

[brandonkelly]

Craft 4.4.6 is out now with that fix 🎉

[iparr]

Great. I can now re-order categories with drag/drop. However, but my other points still remain. Upon save, the position I have dragged them into is forgotten.

[brandonkelly]

Sorry… not sure how I missed that. 4.4.6.1 is out now with a complete fix.