Alt Text and Title and Filename and Field Usage for Display Title Text and Sort Functionality

[dancohen21]

This used to work and now it seems it does not:
My website has image galleries for different projects/designs.
I want all the Images to display the same Title <<design_name>> | I have been putting the design name in the "Image Alt" Field. And Choosing "Image Alt" as the "Items Title Source" dropdown value.
In the Items Style section, Using the Fade Style, and selecting "Display Title", I would achieve this effect.
At the same time, I want to control the sort order of the Images by the image "Title" field. with names like design_001, design_002, design_003, etc.
What is happening now, is that when I choose "Items Title Source" dropdown value as: "Image Alt"
The "Order By" "Title" "ASC" no longer works; I suspect it is referencing the "Image Alt" Field (which all items are set to the same design name); and the sorting by "Title" field no longer works.

Did something change that now prevents me from using these fields ("Title", "Image Alt") independently for Display and Sort functionality?

Possible Solution:
If I choose "Image Title" as the "Items Title Source" dropdown value.
and Choose "Order By" "Title" "ASC"
Then Sorting by Title works as expected;
But what is not working is I want to Display the "Image Alt" Text as the Title Text on the Fade Style.
But the option available is only: "Display Title" checkbox and what I need is a "Display Title Source Dropdown" Or a "Display Image Alt Text as Title" in the Fade Style Options.

Please Advise; I have been losing sleep trying to get this working as expected.

more ideas: Sorting by filename (regardless of "Title" and "Image Alt" fields