% This file is embedded in datatool-user.pdf version 3.4.1 2025-04-25
% Example 58 Sorting Lists with \DTLsortwordlist (comma and parenthetical markers)
% Label: "ex:wordsortlistcommas"
% arara: pdflatex
% arara: pdfcrop
\documentclass[10pt]{article}
\pagestyle{empty}
\usepackage{multicol}
\usepackage{datatool-base}
\newcommand{\mylist}{duckling,
 Duck\datatoolplacecomma Mallard County,
 Duck\datatoolpersoncomma Robbie,
 Duck\datatoolsubjectcomma Anatomy of a,
 duck\datatoolparenstart (cricket),
 duck\datatoolparen{verb},
 {Duck, Duck, Goose},
 duck soup, duck, duck and dive
 }
\renewcommand{\DTLlistformatsep}{\newline}
\renewcommand{\DTLlistformatlastsep}{\newline}
\ExplSyntaxOn
\NewDocumentCommand \mycustomhandler { m m } 
 {
  \tl_set:Nn #2 { #1 }
    \regex_replace_all:nnN { , } { } #2
    \DTLsortletterhandler { #2 } #2
  }
 \ExplSyntaxOff 
\begin{document}
\begin{multicols}{3}
{\DTLsortwordlist{\mylist}{\DTLsortwordhandler}
Word sort:\newline
\DTLformatlist{\mylist}.}


{\DTLsortwordlist{\mylist}{\DTLsortletterhandler}
Letter sort:\newline
\DTLformatlist{\mylist}.}


\DTLsortwordlist{\mylist}{\mycustomhandler} Custom sort:\newline
\DTLformatlist{\mylist}. \end{multicols} 
\end{document}
