I can't figure out how to use sorting properly with MySQL and PHP. How do I use the "ORDER BY" function? I'm trying as "SELECT somecolumn FROM sometable ORDER BY somecolumn ;"
I know that's not right but I can't find any examples showing how to do it in the MYSQL manual.

you can do something like :

select * from MyTable order by MyColumn

or

select * from MyTable order by MyColumn1,MyColumn2

if you want the sort to be for more than one column.

More info at www.mysql.com

7.11 SELECT syntax
SELECT [STRAIGHT_JOIN] [SQL_SMALL_RESULT] [DISTINCT | ALL]
select_expression,...
[INTO OUTFILE 'file_name' export_options]
[FROM table_references
[WHERE where_definition]
[GROUP BY col_name,...]
[HAVING where_definition]
[ORDER BY {unsigned_integer | col_name} [ASC | DESC] ,...]
[LIMIT [offset,] rows]
[PROCEDURE procedure_name] ]