diff --git a/src/engine/Query.c b/src/engine/Query.c
index 53452f3b1d..fb65e0ce9a 100644
--- a/src/engine/Query.c
+++ b/src/engine/Query.c
@@ -11,8 +11,24 @@
  * created by Linas Vepstas Sept 1998
  * Copyright (c) 1998 Linas Vepstas
  */
+/********************************************************************\
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or    *
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as   *
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of   *
+ * the License, or (at your option) any later version.              *
+ *                                                                  *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,  *
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of   *
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the    *
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.                     *
+ *                                                                  *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License*
+ * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software      *
+ * Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.        *
+\********************************************************************/
 
 #include <limits.h>
+#include <strings.h>
 
 #include "config.h"
 
@@ -162,9 +178,295 @@ xaccQuerySetMaxSplits (Query *q, int max)
 
 /* ================================================== */
 
+#define PROLOG 					\
+  char *da, *db;				\
+  Transaction *ta;				\
+  Transaction *tb;				\
+  int retval;					\
+						\
+  if ( (*sa) && !(*sb) ) return -1;		\
+  if ( !(*sa) && (*sb) ) return +1;		\
+  if ( !(*sa) && !(*sb) ) return 0;		\
+						\
+  ta = (*sa)->parent;				\
+  tb = (*sb)->parent;				\
+						\
+  if ( (ta) && !(tb) ) return -1;		\
+  if ( !(ta) && (tb) ) return +1;		\
+  if ( !(ta) && !(tb) ) return 0;		\
+
+
+
+#define CDATE {					\
+  /* if dates differ, return */			\
+  if ( (ta->date_posted.tv_sec) <		\
+       (tb->date_posted.tv_sec)) {		\
+    return -1;					\
+  } else					\
+  if ( (ta->date_posted.tv_sec) >		\
+       (tb->date_posted.tv_sec)) {		\
+    return +1;					\
+  }						\
+						\
+  /* else, seconds match. check nanoseconds */	\
+  if ( (ta->date_posted.tv_nsec) <		\
+       (tb->date_posted.tv_nsec)) {		\
+    return -1;					\
+  } else					\
+  if ( (ta->date_posted.tv_nsec) >		\
+       (tb->date_posted.tv_nsec)) {		\
+    return +1;					\
+  }						\
+}
+
+#define CNUM {					\
+  /* sort on transaction number */		\
+  da = ta->num;					\
+  db = tb->num;					\
+  if (da && db) {				\
+    retval = strcmp (da, db);			\
+    /* if strings differ, return */		\
+    if (retval) return retval;			\
+  } else					\
+  if (!da && db) {				\
+    return -1;					\
+  } else					\
+  if (da && !db) {				\
+    return +1;					\
+  }						\
+}
+
+#define CMEMO {					\
+  /* sort on memo strings */			\
+  da = (*sa)->memo;				\
+  db = (*sb)->memo;				\
+  if (da && db) {				\
+    retval = strcmp (da, db);			\
+    /* if strings differ, return */		\
+    if (retval) return retval;			\
+  } else					\
+  if (!da && db) {				\
+    return -1;					\
+  } else					\
+  if (da && !db) {				\
+    return +1;					\
+  }						\
+}
+
+#define CDESC {					\
+  /* sort on transaction strings */		\
+  da = ta->description;				\
+  db = tb->description;				\
+  if (da && db) {				\
+    retval = strcmp (da, db);			\
+    /* if strings differ, return */		\
+    if (retval) return retval;			\
+  } else					\
+  if (!da && db) {				\
+    return -1;					\
+  } else					\
+  if (da && !db) {				\
+    return +1;					\
+  }						\
+}
+
+#define CAMT {					\
+  double fa, fb;				\
+  fa = ((*sa)->damount) * ((*sa)->share_price); \
+  fb = ((*sb)->damount) * ((*sb)->share_price); \
+  if (fa < fb) {				\
+    return -1;					\
+  } else   					\
+  if (fa > fb) {				\
+    return +1;					\
+  }						\
+}
+
+#define DECLARE(ONE,TWO,THREE,FOUR,FIVE)	\
+static int Sort_##ONE##_##TWO##_##THREE##_##FOUR##_##FIVE	\
+   (Split **sa, Split **sb) 			\
+{						\
+   PROLOG; 					\
+   C##ONE; C##TWO; C##THREE; C##FOUR; C##FIVE;  \
+   return 0;					\
+}
+
+/* ================================================== */
+/*
+
+#!/usr/bin/perl
+#
+# This is a short perl script that prints all permutations 
+# of five objects; should be easy to generalize to more.
+
+sub rotate {
+  local ($n, $i);
+  $n = $_[0];
+
+  $tmp = $arr[0];
+  for ($i=0; $i<$n-1; $i++) {
+     $arr[$i] = $arr[$i+1];
+  }
+  $arr[$n-1] = $tmp;
+}
+
+sub recur {
+  local ($n, $i);
+  $n = $_[0];
+
+  if (2>=$n) { 
+    print "DECLARE ($arr[0], $arr[1], $arr[2], $arr[3],$arr[4])\n";
+    return; 
+  }
+
+  for ($i=0; $i<$n-1; $i++) {
+    &rotate ($n-1);
+    &recur ($n-1);
+  }
+}
+
+@arr=(DESC,MEMO,AMT,NUM,DATE);
+
+&recur (6);
+
+*/
+/* ================================================== */
+
+DECLARE (DATE, NUM, AMT, MEMO,DESC)
+DECLARE (NUM, DATE, AMT, MEMO,DESC)
+DECLARE (AMT, DATE, NUM, MEMO,DESC)
+DECLARE (DATE, AMT, NUM, MEMO,DESC)
+DECLARE (NUM, AMT, DATE, MEMO,DESC)
+DECLARE (AMT, NUM, DATE, MEMO,DESC)
+DECLARE (MEMO, DATE, NUM, AMT,DESC)
+DECLARE (DATE, MEMO, NUM, AMT,DESC)
+DECLARE (NUM, MEMO, DATE, AMT,DESC)
+DECLARE (MEMO, NUM, DATE, AMT,DESC)
+DECLARE (DATE, NUM, MEMO, AMT,DESC)
+DECLARE (NUM, DATE, MEMO, AMT,DESC)
+DECLARE (AMT, MEMO, DATE, NUM,DESC)
+DECLARE (MEMO, AMT, DATE, NUM,DESC)
+DECLARE (DATE, AMT, MEMO, NUM,DESC)
+DECLARE (AMT, DATE, MEMO, NUM,DESC)
+DECLARE (MEMO, DATE, AMT, NUM,DESC)
+DECLARE (DATE, MEMO, AMT, NUM,DESC)
+DECLARE (NUM, AMT, MEMO, DATE,DESC)
+DECLARE (AMT, NUM, MEMO, DATE,DESC)
+DECLARE (MEMO, NUM, AMT, DATE,DESC)
+DECLARE (NUM, MEMO, AMT, DATE,DESC)
+DECLARE (AMT, MEMO, NUM, DATE,DESC)
+DECLARE (MEMO, AMT, NUM, DATE,DESC)
+DECLARE (DESC, DATE, NUM, AMT,MEMO)
+DECLARE (DATE, DESC, NUM, AMT,MEMO)
+DECLARE (NUM, DESC, DATE, AMT,MEMO)
+DECLARE (DESC, NUM, DATE, AMT,MEMO)
+DECLARE (DATE, NUM, DESC, AMT,MEMO)
+DECLARE (NUM, DATE, DESC, AMT,MEMO)
+DECLARE (AMT, DESC, DATE, NUM,MEMO)
+DECLARE (DESC, AMT, DATE, NUM,MEMO)
+DECLARE (DATE, AMT, DESC, NUM,MEMO)
+DECLARE (AMT, DATE, DESC, NUM,MEMO)
+DECLARE (DESC, DATE, AMT, NUM,MEMO)
+DECLARE (DATE, DESC, AMT, NUM,MEMO)
+DECLARE (NUM, AMT, DESC, DATE,MEMO)
+DECLARE (AMT, NUM, DESC, DATE,MEMO)
+DECLARE (DESC, NUM, AMT, DATE,MEMO)
+DECLARE (NUM, DESC, AMT, DATE,MEMO)
+DECLARE (AMT, DESC, NUM, DATE,MEMO)
+DECLARE (DESC, AMT, NUM, DATE,MEMO)
+DECLARE (DATE, NUM, AMT, DESC,MEMO)
+DECLARE (NUM, DATE, AMT, DESC,MEMO)
+DECLARE (AMT, DATE, NUM, DESC,MEMO)
+DECLARE (DATE, AMT, NUM, DESC,MEMO)
+DECLARE (NUM, AMT, DATE, DESC,MEMO)
+DECLARE (AMT, NUM, DATE, DESC,MEMO)
+DECLARE (MEMO, DESC, DATE, NUM,AMT)
+DECLARE (DESC, MEMO, DATE, NUM,AMT)
+DECLARE (DATE, MEMO, DESC, NUM,AMT)
+DECLARE (MEMO, DATE, DESC, NUM,AMT)
+DECLARE (DESC, DATE, MEMO, NUM,AMT)
+DECLARE (DATE, DESC, MEMO, NUM,AMT)
+DECLARE (NUM, MEMO, DESC, DATE,AMT)
+DECLARE (MEMO, NUM, DESC, DATE,AMT)
+DECLARE (DESC, NUM, MEMO, DATE,AMT)
+DECLARE (NUM, DESC, MEMO, DATE,AMT)
+DECLARE (MEMO, DESC, NUM, DATE,AMT)
+DECLARE (DESC, MEMO, NUM, DATE,AMT)
+DECLARE (DATE, NUM, MEMO, DESC,AMT)
+DECLARE (NUM, DATE, MEMO, DESC,AMT)
+DECLARE (MEMO, DATE, NUM, DESC,AMT)
+DECLARE (DATE, MEMO, NUM, DESC,AMT)
+DECLARE (NUM, MEMO, DATE, DESC,AMT)
+DECLARE (MEMO, NUM, DATE, DESC,AMT)
+DECLARE (DESC, DATE, NUM, MEMO,AMT)
+DECLARE (DATE, DESC, NUM, MEMO,AMT)
+DECLARE (NUM, DESC, DATE, MEMO,AMT)
+DECLARE (DESC, NUM, DATE, MEMO,AMT)
+DECLARE (DATE, NUM, DESC, MEMO,AMT)
+DECLARE (NUM, DATE, DESC, MEMO,AMT)
+DECLARE (AMT, MEMO, DESC, DATE,NUM)
+DECLARE (MEMO, AMT, DESC, DATE,NUM)
+DECLARE (DESC, AMT, MEMO, DATE,NUM)
+DECLARE (AMT, DESC, MEMO, DATE,NUM)
+DECLARE (MEMO, DESC, AMT, DATE,NUM)
+DECLARE (DESC, MEMO, AMT, DATE,NUM)
+DECLARE (DATE, AMT, MEMO, DESC,NUM)
+DECLARE (AMT, DATE, MEMO, DESC,NUM)
+DECLARE (MEMO, DATE, AMT, DESC,NUM)
+DECLARE (DATE, MEMO, AMT, DESC,NUM)
+DECLARE (AMT, MEMO, DATE, DESC,NUM)
+DECLARE (MEMO, AMT, DATE, DESC,NUM)
+DECLARE (DESC, DATE, AMT, MEMO,NUM)
+DECLARE (DATE, DESC, AMT, MEMO,NUM)
+DECLARE (AMT, DESC, DATE, MEMO,NUM)
+DECLARE (DESC, AMT, DATE, MEMO,NUM)
+DECLARE (DATE, AMT, DESC, MEMO,NUM)
+DECLARE (AMT, DATE, DESC, MEMO,NUM)
+DECLARE (MEMO, DESC, DATE, AMT,NUM)
+DECLARE (DESC, MEMO, DATE, AMT,NUM)
+DECLARE (DATE, MEMO, DESC, AMT,NUM)
+DECLARE (MEMO, DATE, DESC, AMT,NUM)
+DECLARE (DESC, DATE, MEMO, AMT,NUM)
+DECLARE (DATE, DESC, MEMO, AMT,NUM)
+DECLARE (NUM, AMT, MEMO, DESC,DATE)
+DECLARE (AMT, NUM, MEMO, DESC,DATE)
+DECLARE (MEMO, NUM, AMT, DESC,DATE)
+DECLARE (NUM, MEMO, AMT, DESC,DATE)
+DECLARE (AMT, MEMO, NUM, DESC,DATE)
+DECLARE (MEMO, AMT, NUM, DESC,DATE)
+DECLARE (DESC, NUM, AMT, MEMO,DATE)
+DECLARE (NUM, DESC, AMT, MEMO,DATE)
+DECLARE (AMT, DESC, NUM, MEMO,DATE)
+DECLARE (DESC, AMT, NUM, MEMO,DATE)
+DECLARE (NUM, AMT, DESC, MEMO,DATE)
+DECLARE (AMT, NUM, DESC, MEMO,DATE)
+DECLARE (MEMO, DESC, NUM, AMT,DATE)
+DECLARE (DESC, MEMO, NUM, AMT,DATE)
+DECLARE (NUM, MEMO, DESC, AMT,DATE)
+DECLARE (MEMO, NUM, DESC, AMT,DATE)
+DECLARE (DESC, NUM, MEMO, AMT,DATE)
+DECLARE (NUM, DESC, MEMO, AMT,DATE)
+DECLARE (AMT, MEMO, DESC, NUM,DATE)
+DECLARE (MEMO, AMT, DESC, NUM,DATE)
+DECLARE (DESC, AMT, MEMO, NUM,DATE)
+DECLARE (AMT, DESC, MEMO, NUM,DATE)
+DECLARE (MEMO, DESC, AMT, NUM,DATE)
+DECLARE (DESC, MEMO, AMT, NUM,DATE)
+
+/* ================================================== */
+
 static void
 SortSplits (Query *q, Split **slist)
 {
+  int nsplits =0;
+  
+  nsplits = 0;
+  while (slist[nsplits]) nsplits ++;
+
+  /* run the sort routine on the array */
+  qsort (slist, nsplits, sizeof (Split *),
+            (int(*)(const void*, const void *)) xaccSplitOrder);
+  
 
 }
 
diff --git a/src/engine/Query.h b/src/engine/Query.h
index 06ae65d195..8eced3e619 100644
--- a/src/engine/Query.h
+++ b/src/engine/Query.h
@@ -10,6 +10,22 @@
  * Copyright (c) 1998 Linas Vepstas
  */
 
+/********************************************************************\
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or    *
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as   *
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of   *
+ * the License, or (at your option) any later version.              *
+ *                                                                  *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,  *
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of   *
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the    *
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.                     *
+ *                                                                  *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License*
+ * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software      *
+ * Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.        *
+\********************************************************************/
+
 #ifndef __GNUCASH_QUERY_H__
 #define __GNUCASH_QUERY_H__