Sort then reverse ? Why ?

Perhaps there is no need of calling rows.reverse(); when sorting is hapenning already.

Following modification will make descending faster...

grid.js (rel 1.0) - line #740

obj.sort = function(index, direction) {

    var model = this.getModel("row");
    if (model.sort) {
      return model.sort(index, direction);
    }

    var a = {};
    var rows = this.getRowProperty("values");

    if (direction && direction != "ascending" ) {
      direction = "descending";
    }
    else {
      direction = "ascending";
    }

    if (this.getSortProperty("index") != index) {
      var idir = 1;
      if (direction == "descending") {
        idir = -1;
      }
      for (var i=0; i<rows.length; i++) {
        a[rows[i]] = this.getDataProperty("value", rows[i], index);
      }
      rows.sort(function(x,y){return a[x] > a[y] ? idir : (a[x] == a[y] ? 0 : -1 * idir)});
      // if (direction == "descending") {
      //   rows.reverse();
      // }
    }
    else if (this.getSortProperty("direction") != direction) {
      rows.reverse();
    }


    this.setRowProperty("values", rows);
    this.setSortProperty("index", index);
    this.setSortProperty("direction", direction);
  };

Yes, probably this makes sense.

I did a patch for sorting by 2 or 3 keys ;-) It is simple but useful method for most of practical usages. U may like to have it included in your build or as a separate patch.

Active.Controls.Grid.patch = function(){
  var obj = this.prototype;

  /****************************************************************
  
    Sorts the rows with the data in the given column.
  
    @param  index1 (Number) Column index to sort on.
    @param  direction1 (String) Sort direction ([a|ascending] or [d|descending]).
    @param  index2 (Number) Column index to sort on.
    @param  direction2 (String) Sort direction ([a|ascending] or [d|descending]).
    @param  index3 (Number) Column index to sort on.
    @param  direction3 (String) Sort direction ([a|ascending] or [d|descending]).
  
  *****************************************************************/
  obj.defineSortProperty("index1", -1);
  obj.defineSortProperty("direction1", "none");
  obj.defineSortProperty("index2", -1);
  obj.defineSortProperty("direction2", "none");
  obj.defineSortProperty("index3", -1);
  obj.defineSortProperty("direction3", "none");

  obj.tripleSort = function(index1, direction1, index2, direction2, index3, direction3) {
    var model = this.getModel("row");
    if (model.tripleSort) {
      return model.tripleSort(index1, direction1, index2, direction2, index3, direction3);
    }

    var d1 = 1;
    var d2 = 1;
    var d3 = 1;

    if (direction1 == "d" || direction1 == "descending") {
      d1 = -1;
    }
    if (direction2 == "d" || direction2 == "descending") {
      d2 = -1;
    }
    if (direction3 == "d" || direction3 == "descending") {
      d3 = -1;
    }

    var a1 = {};
    var a2 = {};
    var a3 = {};
    var rows = this.getRowProperty("values");
    for (var i=0; i<rows.length; i++) {
      if(index1 != null) {
        a1[rows[i]] = this.getDataProperty("value", rows[i], index1);
      }
      if(index2 != null) {
        a2[rows[i]] = this.getDataProperty("value", rows[i], index2);
      }
      if(index3 != null) {
        a3[rows[i]] = this.getDataProperty("value", rows[i], index3);
      }
    }
    
    var _tripleSort = function(x,y){
      if(index1 != null && a1[x] != a1[y]) {
        return a1[x] > a1[y] ? d1 : -1 * d1;
      }
      if(index2 != null && a2[x] != a2[y]) {
        return a2[x] > a2[y] ? d2 : -1 * d2;
      }
      if(index3 != null && a3[x] != a3[y]) {
        return a3[x] > a3[y] ? d3 : -1 * d3;
      }
      return 0;
    };
    rows.sort(_tripleSort);

    this.setRowProperty("values", rows);
    this.setSortProperty("index1", index1);
    this.setSortProperty("direction1", direction1);
    this.setSortProperty("index2", index2);
    this.setSortProperty("direction2", direction2);
    this.setSortProperty("index3", index3);
    this.setSortProperty("direction3", direction3);
  };

};

Active.Controls.Grid.patch();

Thanks.