[jmmcd]

I suppose the question is where you want the sorted version to appear. In the output of `ls`? You could write a wrapper to `ls`, maybe?

[ricg]

In the system's file explorer (Finder/Windows File Explorer).

This would give me a visual outline and the ability to open any file with its corresponding app.

Imagine writing a book and using folders as chapters. You could then write individual pages with different apps, say some plain text, some Word documents, a few spreadsheets, images, videos, etc.

[jmmcd]

Would it be better to have something like a plain text page to hold the outline, with links to individual files?