VBA Sort Parameter Issue

[animas]

    '//Sort
    If Range("_IndexSort") = "ASCENDING" Or Range("_IndexSort") = "DESCENDING" Then
        Dim [B]SortOrder [/B]As String
        If Range("_IndexSort") = "ASCENDING" Then
            SortOrder = "xlAscending"
        ElseIf Range("_IndexSort") = "DESCENDING" Then
            SortOrder = "xlDescending"
        End If
        
        Range("A2").Select
        Range(Selection, Selection.End(xlDown)).Select
        Dim SortRange As String
        SortRange = Selection.Address
        ActiveSheet.Sort.SortFields.Clear
        ActiveSheet.Sort.SortFields.Add Key:=Range("A2"), _
            SortOn:=xlSortOnValues, Order:=[COLOR=Red][B]SortOrder[/B][/COLOR], DataOption:=xlSortNormal

Red color variable throwing error "Type Mismatch". Why is that?

 

[shg]

Declare SortOrder as XlSortOrder, and remove the quotes in the assignment.

 

[animas]

Worked perfectly. Can you pls shortly explain the type xlDescending for my learning?

 

[shg]

XLSortOrder is an enumeration (a type of variable that can only assume the specific values of its members).

xlAscending and xlDescending are the two members of that enumeration.

 

[animas]

Thank you.