Fix Magento product list sort order for 'select' type attributes.

patch-16189.diff

--- a/app/code/core/Mage/Catalog/Block/Product/List.php
+++ b/app/code/core/Mage/Catalog/Block/Product/List.php
@@ -157,6 +157,19 @@ class Mage_Catalog_Block_Product_List extends Mage_Catalog_Block_Product_Abstrac
         // set collection to tollbar and apply sort
         $toolbar->setCollection($collection);
 
+        // Redo order to sort based on attribute label sort order
+        if ($order = $toolbar->getCurrentOrder()) {
+          $eavConfig = Mage::getSingleton('eav/config'); /* @var $eavConfig Mage_Eav_Model_Config */
+          $attribute = $eavConfig->getAttribute('catalog_product', $order);
+          if ($attribute && $attribute->getFrontendInput() == 'select' && $attribute->getSourceModel() == 'eav/entity_attribute_source_table') {
+            $collection->getSelect()->reset(Zend_Db_Select::ORDER);
+            $dir = strtoupper($toolbar->getCurrentDirection());
+            $collection->getSelect()
+                ->joinLeft('eav_attribute_option AS eao', "eao.option_id=IF({$order}_t2.value_id > 0, {$order}_t2.value, {$order}_t1.value)", array())
+                ->order(new Zend_Db_Expr('eao.sort_order '.$dir));
+          }
+        }
+
         $this->setChild('toolbar', $toolbar);
         Mage::dispatchEvent('catalog_block_product_list_collection', array(
             'collection' => $this->_getProductCollection()

Hi, Mate. Thanks for the patch.
Just checking your solution - but am receiving an SQL error.
Where does this come from: {$order}_t2?
The *_t2 table?

Thanks.

Hey,

Any update to the above? when I apply the patch and try to sort everything just hangs.