[PyQt] QSqlRelationalTableModel - sort on multiple columns?

[Joe Planisky]

I'm writing a simple database application with PyQt (Qt version 4.5.2,  
PyQt version 4.6).  I'm using a QSqlRelationalTableModel to display  
records in a QTableView and everything is working as expected; the  
table view is populated with records, I can insert new records, sort  
on a column, etc.

However, now I want to sort on multiple columns.  I.e. the column  
header I click on is the primary sort, and a different column is a  
secondary sort.  Basically, I want to do the equivalent of "SELECT ...  
FROM table1 WHERE ... ORDER BY table1.email ASC, table1.date DESC;"

It seems that QSqlRelationalTableModel.sort(...) and .setSort(...)  
only support sorting on a single column.  I've searched for an answer  
and the only thing I found was a suggestion to use different views in  
my database.  When I come up this empty on a search, it's usually  
because there's some blindingly obvious way to do a thing that  
everyone else in the world but me knows about :-)  What am I missing  
here?

The only thing I've done that had any success is replacing the model's  
query with a new one that explicitly specifies the "ORDER BY" clause.   
That worked, but seems to be a bit heavy handed.

How have others solved this problem?

--
Joe P