jQuery Grid Plugin - jqGrid

context:

IE9 and Chrome sort drop down list data by the value of the option element not the text. in this case a select item of ':ALL' is always at the bottom of a list where the values are all numeric.

the solution for minimized code(3.8):

search the jqgrid file for a segment of code that matches the following: c.defaultValue&&a(g).val(c.defaultValue);

replace that code with the following:

if(c.defaultValue!==undefined&&c.defaultValue!==null){a(g).val(c.defaultValue);}

this will allow the defaultValue which is an empty string to select the option item with that as the value.