code: private List<I_CmsSearchConfigurationSortOption> getSortOptions() {
  
          final List<I_CmsSearchConfigurationSortOption> options = new ArrayList<I_CmsSearchConfigurationSortOption>();
          final CmsXmlContentValueSequence sortOptions = m_xml.getValueSequence(XML_ELEMENT_SORTOPTIONS, m_locale);
          if (sortOptions == null) {
              return null;
          } else {
              for (int i = 0; i < sortOptions.getElementCount(); i++) {
                  final I_CmsSearchConfigurationSortOption option = parseSortOption(
                      sortOptions.getValue(i).getPath() + "/");
                  if (option != null) {
                      options.add(option);
                  }
              }
              return options;
          }
      }
docs: Returns the configured sort options, or the empty list if no such options are configured.
  @return The configured sort options, or the empty list if no such options are configured.