UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Hope someone can help,
I am trying to sort a generic file like this

Code:

test2 A 468 0
test2 R 468 1
test2 E 468 1
test2 R 468 3
test2 R 468 4
test2 R 468 459
test2 Z 468 0
test1 A 191 0
test1 R 191 191
test1 Z 191 0
test3 A 3 0
test3 R 3 3
test3 Z 3 0
test0 A 1 0
test4 A 1 0
test4 E 1 1
test4 R 1 1 
test4 Z 1 0

I would like to sort so that I will get a sort on column 3 in reversed numerical order and inside of that on column 2 alphabetically and then inside of that on column 4 numerically reversed by using a line like:

Code:

sort -k 3rn -k 1 -k 2 -k 4rn infile

I do not seem to have it sorted properly, is there a limit on how many columns can be sorted using the -k flag?
Any better way to achieve this?
Thanks.

Thanks.

I seem to recall that the -k option starts at the field and goes to the end (not necessarily the field end). Thus, instead of -k 3 try using -k 3,3 in your commands.
And no, I don't know of any limit to number of fields you can sort by; however there would be a functional limit to the length of the command you can issue. Don't worry though, your few sorts do not make the line too long!

Plus the -r switch carries over to all fields, you cannot "un -r" one field