Sponsored Content
Full Discussion: linux sort command
Homework and Emergencies Homework & Coursework Questions linux sort command Post 302708791 by Don Cragun on Tuesday 2nd of October 2012 08:43:39 AM
Old 10-02-2012
Quote:
Originally Posted by bakunin
There are some "sort" intrinsics to be considered and i think you haven't covered them all yet. This might not have any impact on your test file, but may well change the sorting order in another sample.

Lets see:

The default behavior of "sort" is to sort from the field/position given in te argument to the "-k" option to the end of line. That means:

Code:
sort -k 2 /some/file

will sort on field 2 first, in case f2 is equal on field 3, if this is equal too on field 4, etc. to the end of line. As you want to search on a last name - first name basis you have to state that:

Code:
sort -k 2,2 -k 1,1

You are lucky that you use only full fields, because it is possible to base sorting order on a sub-field starting at the n-th character of a certain field. Alas, character-numbering is sometimes 1-based and sometimes zero-based, depending on "-t" or "-b" being used - as i learned myself recently the hard way.

I hope this helps.

bakunin
Very close... According to the standards (and the sort utilities I've used tend to follow the standards pretty closely), what you said about sort -k 2 is exactly correct. But, sort -k 2,2 sorts on the 2nd field and if two or more lines compare equal on that field, the entire line is used as the secondary sort key. So sort -k 2,2 performs exactly the same sort as sort -k 2,2 -k 1,1.
 

9 More Discussions You Might Find Interesting

1. UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Linux Sort command

Hello! Can anybody explain in laymen terms what the (+) option in the sort command for Linux does? Please. Thanks in advance!!:D (1 Reply)
Discussion started by: itisijayare
1 Replies

2. Shell Programming and Scripting

How to Sort Floating Numbers Using the Sort Command?

Hi to all. I'm trying to sort this with the Unix command sort. user1:12345678:3.5:2.5:8:1:2:3 user2:12345679:4.5:3.5:8:1:3:2 user3:12345687:5.5:2.5:6:1:3:2 user4:12345670:5.5:2.5:5:3:2:1 user5:12345671:2.5:5.5:7:2:3:1 I need to get this: user3:12345687:5.5:2.5:6:1:3:2... (7 Replies)
Discussion started by: daniel.gbaena
7 Replies

3. Shell Programming and Scripting

difference in unix vs. linux sort

Hi, I am using some codes that have been ported from unix to linux, and now the sorting no longer results in the desired ordering. I'm hoping to find a way to mimic the unix sort command in linux. The input file is structured the following: $> cat file.txt... (6 Replies)
Discussion started by: aj.schaeffer
6 Replies

4. UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

linux sort command produces strange output

cat a .a ba .b bb .c bc sort a .a .b ba bb bc .c NOTE: .a and .b appears before ba and bb, where as .c appears after bc. In general (3 Replies)
Discussion started by: ajb
3 Replies

5. Shell Programming and Scripting

Is it Possible to sort a list of hexadecimal numbers using "sort" command?

Hello Everybody :) !!!. i have question in mind, is it possible to sort a list of hexadecimal numbers using "sort" command? (9 Replies)
Discussion started by: Kesavan
9 Replies

6. Shell Programming and Scripting

Help to sort out... Possible use of sort command

I have an input like 4.3.6.66 4.3.6.67 4.3.6.70 4.3.6.25 4.3.6.15 4.3.6.54 4.3.6.44 4.3.6.34 4.3.6.24 4.3.6.14 4.3.6.53 4.3.6.43 4.3.6.49 4.3.6.33 4.3.6.52 4.3.6.19 4.3.6.58 4.3.6.42 (5 Replies)
Discussion started by: dnam9917
5 Replies

7. Linux

sort command in centos linux os

Iam working on centos os. Iam not able to sort records without option Please help me out Jayaprakash B. (1 Reply)
Discussion started by: jpachar
1 Replies

8. UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

LINUX SORT command chops results

I am trying to sort a file . The file looks like this: DDFF 2 /ztpfrepos/pgr/load DDFQ 2 /ztpfrepos/pgr/load DDFX 2 /ztpfrepos/pgr/load DDUA 2 /ztpfrepos/pgr/load My command: sort -k1 /home/c153507/Bin/OPL1.txt -o /home/c153507/Bin/OPL1.txt The results are OK except for one line where... (4 Replies)
Discussion started by: Yahalom
4 Replies

9. Shell Programming and Scripting

Help with sort in Linux

Hi everyone, I have a text file with this following format: w m a c G + V b y + d f e t I'd like to sort it to a file with the following format (same number of lines, same number of fields, but all fields are sorted alphabetically) G V a b c + d e f + m t w y I... (7 Replies)
Discussion started by: roseriver
7 Replies
JOIN(1) 						      General Commands Manual							   JOIN(1)

NAME
join - relational database operator SYNOPSIS
join [ options ] file1 file2 DESCRIPTION
Join forms, on the standard output, a join of the two relations specified by the lines of file1 and file2. If file1 is `-', the standard input is used. File1 and file2 must be sorted in increasing ASCII collating sequence on the fields on which they are to be joined, normally the first in each line. There is one line in the output for each pair of lines in file1 and file2 that have identical join fields. The output line normally con- sists of the common field, then the rest of the line from file1, then the rest of the line from file2. Fields are normally separated by blank, tab or newline. In this case, multiple separators count as one, and leading separators are dis- carded. These options are recognized: -an In addition to the normal output, produce a line for each unpairable line in file n, where n is 1 or 2. -e s Replace empty output fields by string s. -jn m Join on the mth field of file n. If n is missing, use the mth field in each file. -o list Each output line comprises the fields specifed in list, each element of which has the form n.m, where n is a file number and m is a field number. -tc Use character c as a separator (tab character). Every appearance of c in a line is significant. SEE ALSO
sort(1), comm(1), awk(1) BUGS
With default field separation, the collating sequence is that of sort -b; with -t, the sequence is that of a plain sort. The conventions of join, sort, comm, uniq, look and awk(1) are wildly incongruous. JOIN(1)
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:10 AM.
Unix & Linux Forums Content Copyright 1993-2022. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy