Can you update a web app's weighting field automatically??

Question

I'm having a real hard time understanding why we have the power in BC to build web apps but can't sort data the way we want through automation... I realize at this point, the only way to sort my items by date is to manipulate the weighting field. However, I’m building a user driven site with all user submitted content and it needs to be available immediately. Now, obviously results are posted online as soon as they are submitted but as of now, the only automatic way to display results that makes any sense is by a Recent Activity listing or Alphabetical. 
Is there any way to automate updating an item's weighting field so that results can be available in order of, for example, Event Date (custom date field)?????
HELP PLEASE - all this power sure seems like a waste if you can't manipulate your results accordingly!!

Answer 1

Ok- two things--
1.  You are missing a "(" at the beginning of your function-- you currently have:
function($){
    var container = $(".sort-list");
    var items = $(".sort-item");
    items.sort(function(a,b){
        return new Date($(a).attr("data-event-date")) < new Date($(b).attr("data-event-date"));
    }).each(function(){
        container.prepend(this);
})(jQuery);
But you need a beginning parenthesis before the "function":
(function($){
    var container = $(".sort-list");
    var items = $(".sort-item");
    items.sort(function(a,b){
        return new Date($(a).attr("data-event-date")) < new Date($(b).attr("data-event-date"));
    }).each(function(){
        container.prepend(this);
})(jQuery);
2.  Move the whole script in your page to after the "ul.sort-list" element.  Right now you have the javascript in the page before the UL element that holds your web app items, so the browser will read that javascript first and since it hasn't read the web app item list inside the UL element then it won't work, so move it to after the closing </ul> of your web app list.
You should be all set if you fix those two issues. Good luck!