code: protected List<I_CmsSearchConfigurationSortOption> getSortOptions() {
  
          List<I_CmsSearchConfigurationSortOption> options = new LinkedList<I_CmsSearchConfigurationSortOption>();
          try {
              JSONArray sortOptions = m_configObject.getJSONArray(JSON_KEY_SORTOPTIONS);
              for (int i = 0; i < sortOptions.length(); i++) {
                  I_CmsSearchConfigurationSortOption option = parseSortOption(sortOptions.getJSONObject(i));
                  if (option != null) {
                      options.add(option);
                  }
              }
          } catch (JSONException e) {
              if (null == m_baseConfig) {
                  if (LOG.isInfoEnabled()) {
                      LOG.info(Messages.get().getBundle().key(Messages.LOG_NO_SORT_CONFIG_0), e);
                  }
              } else {
                  options = m_baseConfig.getSortConfig().getSortOptions();
              }
          }
          return options;
      }
docs: Returns the list of the configured sort options, or the empty list if no sort options are configured.
  @return The list of the configured sort options, or the empty list if no sort options are configured.