---
title: sortDescriptors
framework: foundation
role: symbol
role_heading: Instance Property
path: foundation/nsmetadataquery/sortdescriptors
---

# sortDescriptors

An array of sort descriptor objects.

## Declaration

```swift
var sortDescriptors: [NSSortDescriptor] { get set }
```

## Discussion

Discussion Setting this property while a query is running stops the query and discards the current results. The receiver immediately starts a new query.

## See Also

### Configuring queries

- [searchScopes](foundation/nsmetadataquery/searchscopes.md)
- [predicate](foundation/nsmetadataquery/predicate.md)
- [valueListAttributes](foundation/nsmetadataquery/valuelistattributes.md)
- [groupingAttributes](foundation/nsmetadataquery/groupingattributes.md)
- [notificationBatchingInterval](foundation/nsmetadataquery/notificationbatchinginterval.md)
- [delegate](foundation/nsmetadataquery/delegate.md)
- [searchItems](foundation/nsmetadataquery/searchitems.md)