Sort order question

[hllight]

I am trying to understand the sort process within categories. I know it indicates the order that products are displayed but is it used in any other way?
I have established a sort order for my main categories. For example the first category is sort 100, the second category is sort 200 etc.
There are sub categories such as:
CATEGORY 100
Sub-Category SMALL sort 10
Sub Category MEDIUM sort 20
Category 200
Sub-Category SMALL sort 10
Sub Category MEDIUM sort 20

Is the sort order for sub-categories uses outside its parent category? If so how? Should the sub-categories be within the main category range like this example? If so why?
CATEGORY 100
Sub-Category SMALL sort 110
Sub Category MEDIUM sort 120
Category 200
Sub-Category SMALL sort 210
Sub Category MEDIUM sort 220

[spbennett]

Sort Orders relate only to the page that the products are displayed on. They won't be used outside the parent category unless there is another way to display the subcategory.

They don't need to be set as they are in your 2nd example. 0,1,2,3,4,5,6..... is fine for both parent and sub categories.

ie.

Category 0
Sub-Category SMALL sort 0
Sub Category MEDIUM sort 1
Category 1
Sub-Category SMALL sort 0
Sub Category MEDIUM sort 1

[hllight]

Thanks. I wanted to be certain of that before I went too far on my site.