Implement "Ignore The" setting for artist sorting

- Introduced `SortRanks` struct to precompute alphabetical ranks for songs, artists, and albums.
- Added `ignore_the` field to `Library` and `App` structs to manage user preference for ignoring leading "The" in artist names.
- Updated `Library` to sort artists and album groups based on the `ignore_the` setting.
- Implemented `prepare_order` method to rebuild ranks and sort artists when the library is set or the setting changes.
- Created `collate` module to handle custom alphabetical comparisons, including handling of leading "The" in artist names.
- Updated settings UI to include "Ignore The" option, reflecting current state and allowing toggling.
- Added tests to ensure correct behavior of sorting with and without the "Ignore The" setting.

Author: superwilso

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -16,6 +16,28 @@ level the commit history supports; from `v0.1.6` onward, entries are written as
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Fixed
+
+- **The Library sorted lowercase and accented names below "Z".** *Host-tested against names from
+  the reference library; device-unverified.* Every list compared names byte by byte, so every
+  capital came before every lowercase letter and every accented letter after `z`: 12 of 310
+  artists (`alt‐J`, `bôa`, `julie`, `the north` …) and 127 song titles sat under `Zola Jesus`,
+  while the A–Z rail filed them under their letters. Artists, albums, songs, folders and playlists
+  now share one order: case-blind, accents folded (`bôa` beside `Boa`, `Édith` among the E's),
+  names starting with a digit or punctuation first and other scripts after Z, as Sony's own
+  scanner groups them. The rail uses the same folding, so `bôa` and `Édith` are reachable from B
+  and E. The rail also used to file "The Beatles" under B while the list sorted it under T; the two
+  now agree, and the setting below decides which.
+
+### Added
+
+- **Settings ▸ Ignore "The" in artists.** *Host-tested; device-unverified.* Off by default, so
+  artists sort as written. On, "The Beatles" sorts among the B's — in the Artists tab, the Albums
+  tab's artist groups and Songs sorted by artist, and on the A–Z rail — the way Sony's own player
+  files it. Song titles and album names keep their "The" either way. The lists re-sort the moment
+  it is switched, an open artist or album page stays on what it was showing, and Reset settings
+  turns it off.
+
 ## [0.3.5] — 2026-09-14
 
 ### Added

README.md

@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@
 [![device](https://img.shields.io/badge/device-NW--A55%20%2F%20A50%20series-blue)](docs/baseline_v1.4.md)
 
 **A replacement music player for the Sony NW-A55 Walkman** (and its NW-A50-series siblings).
-This is a personal project that I made for my self if people want to tweak it and adapt it to their personal use, please do so but I can't confirm any features or time for this project. If you have issues please raise them in the issues section but I can't promise that issues will be patched. Please use https://github.com/unknown321/wbrt before you install Cinder And if you have the time and skill please contribute with pull requests. I have deliberately not included any way to sponsor or pay for this project. Not least because I want it to be free, but because I don't want the obligation for support that comes with it, as said before I made this for me. The single best way to support is to test, feedback and patch. 
+This is a personal project that I made for myself if people want to tweak it and adapt it to their personal use, please do so but I can't confirm any features or time for this project. If you have issues please raise them in the issues section but I can't promise that issues will be patched. Please use https://github.com/unknown321/wbrt before you install Cinder and if you have the time and skill please contribute with pull requests. I have deliberately not included any way to sponsor or pay for this project. Not least because I want it to be free, but because I don't want the obligation for support that comes with it, as said before I made this for me. The single best way to support is to test, feedback and patch. 
+
+Currently Cinder is still in testing and development despite what github may say.
 
 You install it from your computer over the USB cable, in one program, in about a minute. The player
 then starts up into Cinder instead of Sony's music app. Same device, same headphone jack, same

player/cinder-ffi/src/lib.rs

@@ -904,6 +904,7 @@ fn settings_body(r: &Render) -> String {
     // nothing on screen explains.
     body.push_str(&format!("bt_fine={}\n", r.app.bt_fine_span()));
     body.push_str(&format!("volume_limit={}\n", r.app.volume_limit() as u8));
+    body.push_str(&format!("ignore_the={}\n", r.app.ignore_the() as u8));
     // The palette by id — the CHOICE, not what happens to be drawn. If the folder could not be read
     // this boot, Cinder is on screen, but the palette the user picked is still the one to keep.
     body.push_str(&format!("palette={}\n", r.app.palette_id()));
@@ -1262,7 +1263,11 @@ fn build_library(db: &cinder_db::Db) -> cinder_ui::Library {
         });
     }
 
-    album_rows.sort_by(|x, y| x.artist.cmp(&y.artist).then_with(|| x.name.cmp(&y.name)));
+    // One alphabetical order for the whole Library (cinder_ui::collate): byte order put every
+    // lowercase or accented name after "Z" — `alt‐J`, `bôa`, `the north` below `Zola Jesus`.
+    album_rows.sort_by(|x, y| {
+        cinder_ui::collate::cmp(&x.artist, &y.artist).then_with(|| cinder_ui::collate::cmp(&x.name, &y.name))
+    });
     let mut album_groups: Vec<ArtistGroup> = Vec::new();
     for ar in album_rows {
         match album_groups.last_mut() {
@@ -1285,7 +1290,7 @@ fn build_library(db: &cinder_db::Db) -> cinder_ui::Library {
             ArtistRow { albums: albs.len() as u32, tracks: tr, arts, album_ids, name }
         })
         .collect();
-    artists.sort_by(|a, b| a.name.cmp(&b.name));
+    artists.sort_by(|a, b| cinder_ui::collate::cmp(&a.name, &b.name));
 
     // Playlists: real ones from the DB (Sony keeps them as containers in a second object tree —
     // see Db::playlists). Empty-but-honest if the DB has none, rather than sample data.
@@ -1372,6 +1377,9 @@ fn build_library(db: &cinder_db::Db) -> cinder_ui::Library {
         hires_tracks,
         filter_genre: None,
         filter_hires: false,
+        // The App's preference, applied by `set_library` (which also re-sorts the artists).
+        ignore_the: false,
+        ranks: Default::default(),
         folders,
         folder_roots,
     }
@@ -1461,14 +1469,14 @@ fn build_folders(
 
     // Tracks in filename order — on a music folder that is track order, and it is the order the
     // files are actually in on the volume, which is the whole point of browsing this way.
-    // Subdirectories alphabetically, case-insensitively.
-    let names: Vec<String> = out.iter().map(|f| f.name.to_lowercase()).collect();
+    // Subdirectories alphabetically, in the Library's one collation (case and accents folded).
+    let names: Vec<String> = out.iter().map(|f| f.name.clone()).collect();
     for f in out.iter_mut() {
         f.tracks.sort_by(|a, b| a.track.cmp(&b.track).then_with(|| a.title.cmp(&b.title)));
     }
     for i in 0..out.len() {
         let mut subs = std::mem::take(&mut out[i].subdirs);
-        subs.sort_by(|a, b| names[*a].cmp(&names[*b]));
+        subs.sort_by(|a, b| cinder_ui::collate::cmp(&names[*a], &names[*b]));
         // Prune the branches that hold no music at all.
         subs.retain(|s| out[*s].total > 0);
         out[i].subdirs = subs;
@@ -1477,7 +1485,7 @@ fn build_folders(
     let mut roots: Vec<usize> = (0..out.len())
         .filter(|i| out[*i].parent.is_none() && out[*i].total > 0)
         .collect();
-    roots.sort_by(|a, b| names[*a].cmp(&names[*b]));
+    roots.sort_by(|a, b| cinder_ui::collate::cmp(&names[*a], &names[*b]));
     eprintln!("cinder-ffi: folders: {} dirs, {} root(s)", out.len(), roots.len());
     (out, roots)
 }
@@ -2576,7 +2584,7 @@ fn merge_playlist_rows(
             rows.push(row);
         }
     }
-    rows.sort_by(|a, b| a.name.to_lowercase().cmp(&b.name.to_lowercase()));
+    rows.sort_by(|a, b| cinder_ui::collate::cmp(&a.name, &b.name));
     rows
 }
 
@@ -4803,6 +4811,9 @@ pub extern "C" fn cinder_settings_load(path: *const c_char) -> libc::c_int {
                             r.app.set_volume_limit(n != 0);
                         }
                     }
+                    // Settings ▸ Ignore "The" in artists. Read before the library arrives, and
+                    // `set_library` applies it to whatever library comes next.
+                    "ignore_the" => r.app.set_ignore_the(v == "1"),
                     "viz_scale" => {
                         if let Ok(n) = v.parse::<u8>() {
                             r.app.set_viz_scale(n);

player/cinder-ffi/src/playlists.rs

@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ impl Store {
                 }
             }
         }
-        lists.sort_by(|a, b| a.name.to_lowercase().cmp(&b.name.to_lowercase()));
+        lists.sort_by(|a, b| cinder_ui::collate::cmp(&a.name, &b.name));
         Store { dir: primary_dir, lists }
     }
 
@@ -225,8 +225,10 @@ impl Store {
             .collect()
     }
 
+    // The Library's one collation, so the store's order is the order the Playlists tab draws and
+    // the A–Z rail files (`cinder_ui::collate`).
     fn sort(&mut self) {
-        self.lists.sort_by(|a, b| a.name.to_lowercase().cmp(&b.name.to_lowercase()));
+        self.lists.sort_by(|a, b| cinder_ui::collate::cmp(&a.name, &b.name));
     }
 }
 

player/cinder-host/golden.txt

@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ f98435b1ace39bf7 eq_day
 1892fa715456f512 sound_setup_b_day
 cd6841fdd8d2c783 clockset_day
 6a1aefd18a1932ec sound_balance_day
-b757866f97753c0d settings_day
+82231cdf27b64680 settings_day
 aa5a1c551b1762a9 genre_picker_day
 f5715a4d225a91fa library_songs_filtered_day
 1502b690f7f1b536 folders_root_day
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ e4911976c094a2c8 eq_night
 1c1bfcfd32217e18 sound_setup_b_night
 f6e24799f4cdf803 clockset_night
 db181b1945b9020b sound_balance_night
-c2bf724a7c2d5fb9 settings_night
+dc24f5faafe60e6e settings_night
 6a18465a7a81b920 genre_picker_night
 b6a9b0efdb4cec0e library_songs_filtered_night
 0fe1ff330af32285 folders_root_night
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ efdce2c9ec2ef5bd usbdac_night
 2513c2d1b1efb6b5 viz_size_2_full
 b01e5caaf099a7fa confirm_restart
 61de0b6bb868689c confirm_poweroff
-523328c49ba0f4ec settings_scrolled
+d48d881accbefdc9 settings_scrolled
 b1c6037a0bb75403 device
 a217e5344a9e434d device_scrolled
 4ad380282293f523 device_degraded
@@ -163,24 +163,24 @@ bd6e669fedc7cf66 vizset_peaks_fixed
 b9a97b23b9198a50 viz_below_line
 e22dec69c4d7c5ff viz_below_pulse
 2c0314c25f0e38bc accent_amber_now_playing
-aa5b5e59b3335327 accent_amber_settings
+caeca4eeae99eca2 accent_amber_settings
 4b1a6e1db4f45174 accent_crimson_now_playing
-a91fe35ca77a6c34 accent_crimson_settings
+a6ed1fd0b8aba8ed accent_crimson_settings
 2e87fdcce69b627c accent_violet_now_playing
-c12219faff49bce1 accent_violet_settings
+7642f2165ec36edc accent_violet_settings
 b3d715d20e39116c accent_azure_now_playing
-413196aa63a22b8e accent_azure_settings
+e2a25e5067fe92af accent_azure_settings
 201618fbc75eaf26 accent_mint_now_playing
-489398c6560f16c5 accent_mint_settings
+60ebe95bac550598 accent_mint_settings
 6e47e9c74d6ea2e2 accent_bone_now_playing
-ed2fd901b9f86bb7 accent_bone_settings
+2766fe0cfe5d1652 accent_bone_settings
 950663098198cf80 nav_0_now_playing
 7507a446e38aa74b nav_1_menu
 4ed2d57de58b2cef nav_2_menu_library
 96d931c6aeb6c94b nav_3_library
 6097e596446dac6f nav_4_library_artists
 4db6947c09339d52 scroll_library_songs
-59b7a209c0b3b90a scroll_library_albums
+e7bf7d5f462eb251 scroll_library_albums
 1aacaf1dd42cc795 i18n_library_songs
 29f277427d94f178 i18n_now_playing
 65ed9dc76be06083 overlay_volume
@@ -199,31 +199,31 @@ a17b707301f1a525 swipe_queue_4_100px_armed
 6bb6667e3136e960 swipe_queue_5_132px_armed
 7d9c1517c288dd52 swipe_play_next_5_132px_armed
 e2a6d3fb484a6438 uiscale_80_library
-eb9bfa488b526fcc uiscale_80_settings
+390c831c3e04e21e uiscale_80_settings
 12533bfd3cff48d8 uiscale_80_bluetooth
 603117598a3237e2 uiscale_80_sound
 41485b1df94b899e uiscale_80_nowplaying
 a9150951fefcb8f7 uiscale_80_upnext
 5bd5ad888039c59d uiscale_80_eq
 a7a38af4962b65b7 uiscale_80_settings_bottom
 96d931c6aeb6c94b uiscale_100_library
-205a0f47987d861a uiscale_100_settings
+6958507a41fa4abb uiscale_100_settings
 0eab57c3c45f81cc uiscale_100_bluetooth
 ed14e37e73110b2a uiscale_100_sound
 950663098198cf80 uiscale_100_nowplaying
 21984b2bcae0cbd5 uiscale_100_upnext
 f92e7f91efbc19c9 uiscale_100_eq
 3537cb2a4c274d6d uiscale_100_settings_bottom
 982222442288461d uiscale_120_library
-4d59d4b01107f4ef uiscale_120_settings
+f6b8864cb39e1f2b uiscale_120_settings
 0769db74dc7da4e0 uiscale_120_bluetooth
 17a4f24c816cbbec uiscale_120_sound
 14a04bb6d1b88759 uiscale_120_nowplaying
 14c1bfb63cb798f8 uiscale_120_upnext
 9b246e62c0d9b49e uiscale_120_eq
 18824b21a452b671 uiscale_120_settings_bottom
 1cf5d645a1e62bb0 uiscale_140_library
-67fd0c56dc5b7145 uiscale_140_settings
+6cf22e8f8ec45403 uiscale_140_settings
 d97db347a317e2c6 uiscale_140_bluetooth
 522dffeced958ff6 uiscale_140_sound
 ba74ab1d7f4c1026 uiscale_140_nowplaying

player/cinder-host/src/main.rs

@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ fn render_all(out: &mut dyn FnMut(&str, &Canvas), opts: &Opts) {
                 sound::render(c, &theme, &fonts, &s, sound::ROW_BALANCE, 0)
             }),
             ("settings", &|c: &mut Canvas| settings::render(c, &theme, &fonts, 1, 0,
-                &settings::SettingsView { volume_limit: false, night: theme.night, viz_name: "BARS · VEIL", usb_dac: false, battery_care: true, device: "99% · 34.4 °C",
+                &settings::SettingsView { ignore_the: false, volume_limit: false, night: theme.night, viz_name: "BARS · VEIL", usb_dac: false, battery_care: true, device: "99% · 34.4 °C",
                     database: "3,424 tracks", storage: "12.4 / 58 GB", sleep: "30 MIN", brightness: "4 / 5", screen_off: "OFF", auto_off: "OFF", boot_stock: "SONY", clock: "17 Aug · 09:01", accent: cinder_ui::Accent::Amber, palette: pal_name, accent_locked: pal_locked })),
             // The genre FILTER, both halves: the picker, and what a filtered Songs list looks like.
             // The shuffle band's caption has to follow the filter — shuffling a filtered list
@@ -579,7 +579,7 @@ fn render_all(out: &mut dyn FnMut(&str, &Canvas), opts: &Opts) {
                             (cinder_ui::confirm::Ask::PowerOff, "poweroff")] {
             let mut c = Canvas::new();
             settings::render(&mut c, &theme, &fonts, settings::ROW_RESTART, settings::max_scroll_px(),
-                &settings::SettingsView { volume_limit: false, night: false, viz_name: "BARS · VEIL",
+                &settings::SettingsView { ignore_the: false, volume_limit: false, night: false, viz_name: "BARS · VEIL",
                     usb_dac: false, battery_care: true, device: "99% · 34.4 °C",
                     database: "3,424 tracks", storage: "12.4 / 58 GB", sleep: "30 MIN",
                     brightness: "4 / 5", screen_off: "OFF", auto_off: "OFF", boot_stock: "SONY", clock: "17 Aug · 09:01",
@@ -594,7 +594,7 @@ fn render_all(out: &mut dyn FnMut(&str, &Canvas), opts: &Opts) {
             let mut c = Canvas::new();
             settings::render(&mut c, &theme, &fonts, settings::ROW_BRIGHTNESS,
                 settings::max_scroll_px() / 2,
-                &settings::SettingsView { volume_limit: false, night: false, viz_name: "BARS · VEIL",
+                &settings::SettingsView { ignore_the: false, volume_limit: false, night: false, viz_name: "BARS · VEIL",
                     usb_dac: false, battery_care: true, device: "99% · 34.4 °C",
                     database: "3,424 tracks", storage: "12.4 / 58 GB", sleep: "30 MIN",
                     brightness: "4 / 5", screen_off: "OFF", auto_off: "OFF", boot_stock: "SONY", clock: "17 Aug · 09:01",
@@ -767,7 +767,7 @@ fn render_all(out: &mut dyn FnMut(&str, &Canvas), opts: &Opts) {
 
         let mut c = Canvas::new();
         settings::render(&mut c, &theme, &fonts, settings::ROW_ACCENT, 0,
-            &settings::SettingsView { volume_limit: false, night: false, viz_name: "BARS · VEIL", usb_dac: false,
+            &settings::SettingsView { ignore_the: false, volume_limit: false, night: false, viz_name: "BARS · VEIL", usb_dac: false,
                 battery_care: true, device: "99% · 34.4 °C", database: "3,424 tracks", storage: "12.4 / 58 GB", sleep: "30 MIN", brightness: "4 / 5",
                 screen_off: "OFF", auto_off: "OFF", boot_stock: "SONY", clock: "17 Aug · 09:01", accent: a,
                 palette: pal_name, accent_locked: pal_locked });

player/cinder-sim/src/main.rs

@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ fn render(app: &App, c: &mut Canvas, theme: &Theme, fonts: &FontSet) {
             source_direct: false, tone_control: false,
         }, 0, 0),
         Screen::Settings => settings::render(c, theme, fonts, 0, 0,
-            &settings::SettingsView { volume_limit: false, night: app.night, viz_name: "BARS · VEIL", usb_dac: app.usb_dac, battery_care: false, device: "78% · 34.4 °C", database: "3,424 tracks", storage: "12.4 / 58 GB", sleep: "OFF", brightness: "4 / 5", screen_off: "OFF", auto_off: "OFF", boot_stock: "SONY", clock: "17 Aug · 09:01", accent: app.accent, palette: "Cinder", accent_locked: false }),
+            &settings::SettingsView { ignore_the: false, volume_limit: false, night: app.night, viz_name: "BARS · VEIL", usb_dac: app.usb_dac, battery_care: false, device: "78% · 34.4 °C", database: "3,424 tracks", storage: "12.4 / 58 GB", sleep: "OFF", brightness: "4 / 5", screen_off: "OFF", auto_off: "OFF", boot_stock: "SONY", clock: "17 Aug · 09:01", accent: app.accent, palette: "Cinder", accent_locked: false }),
         Screen::Bluetooth => bluetooth::render(c, theme, fonts, &Bt {
             on: app.bt_on,
             connected: app.bt_conn.map(|r| PAIRED[r].name),