feat: Add sorting by exclusive label.

[telackey]

This PR adds a new sort option for exclusive labels.

While this has been looked at before (see the first comment below for a list), the goal of this particular approach was to do it in the most lightweight and flexible way possible, by making use of the existing exclusive label system. No changes are made to the Issue model.

For exclusive labels, a new property is exposed called "order", while in the UI options are populated automatically in the Sort column (see screenshot below) for each exclusive label scope.

This doesn't impose any particular scheme for prioritization, labeling, etc.; that's all up to the user.

[wxiaoguang]

There are different PRs for this problem and they conflict with each other (and the problem is pending for long time)

• Add advanced labels with priority Add advanced labels with priority #11669

• WIP: Weighted Issues WIP: Weighted Issues #32086

• Issue priority Issue priority #4823

• Add severity/priority feature for issues (Prioritize issues #2616) Add severity/priority feature for issues #2616 #10035

[dboreham]

Screen shot showing the feature:

[techknowlogick]

pinging @lafriks as this is likely relevant to your interests

[dboreham]

Proposed fix for #2616

[telackey]

There are different PRs for this problem and they conflict with each other (and the problem is pending for long time)

• Add advanced labels with priority Add advanced labels with priority #11669
• WIP: Weighted Issues WIP: Weighted Issues #32086
• Issue priority Issue priority #4823
• Add severity/priority feature for issues (Prioritize issues #2616) Add severity/priority feature for issues #2616 #10035

Yes, it has been a popular feature. I think this new approach has some merit though. To answer in order:

#11669 main focus is on the prioritization of issues and sets a specific prioritization scheme. While it is similar in that it used labels to accomplish its goal, the aim is a little different. This PR is directed toward sorting by label in general, and while sorting by a priority label would be pretty common use case, it is not the exclusive use.

#32086 is a more involved project management enhancement intended for prioritizing work based on an estimated time and effort. This PR is focused on leveraging the existing label system by adding sort functionality to exclusive labels, not creating a completely new prioritization scheme.

#4823 is similar to #11669 in that its goal is focused on prioritization, but in that case it extends the Issue model directly rather than using labels. An argument can be made for including priority directly on the Issue but that is a separate concern. This PR takes a lighter but more generic approach, by making use of user-defined labels. Users can certainly define priority-related labels, but this mechanism would support sorting by any other labels they create as well.

While #2616 represents one of the dominate use cases for this feature, but they are different in approach, as that one is again extending the Issue model to create a new priority/severity scheme (somewhat similar to #4823). Sorting is only secondary to the addition of the severity property.

By contrast, this PR doesn't impose any particular scheme of prioritization, severity, etc. It simply enhances the existing label system slightly to allow the user to take whatever exclusive labels they already have (or would like to create), and sort them in the UI in a user-defined order. It can certainly be used to answer some of the same problems that the earlier PRs were also addressing, but it does so in a very general and user-customizable way.

[telackey]

Screenshot of the Label edit UI (using the included Advanced label set):

Sort Order is only shown if the Exclusive box is checked:

[lafriks]

pinging @lafriks as this is likely relevant to your interests

I will look into it this weekend but from the first look it does cover some use cases but could have it's downsides