UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Here's some simulated values and then we send the output through sort.

Code:

#!/bin/bash

i=0
for a in $(shuf -e $(seq -s " " 1 10)); do 
    b[$i]=$a
    echo "b$i=${b[$i]}"
    ((++i))
done

for x in $( echo "${b[*]}" ); do 
    echo $x
done | sort -n

A sequence 1 through 10 is shuffled then put in a. We put the values in a real array of b and increment i. Then we run through all the values put into b and put each on a line (necessary for sort) and pipe the output through sort -n (numeric).

Loose the -n for strings. Use your read loop for real values.

I used real arrays assuming you might want the values at some later time. Let me know if you wish to output the values with input index, that is a more complex problem. In that case a language that uses hashes would make things simpler.

Scrutinizer,

Thank you so much! It really works. It's much more difficult than I could imagine as I'm new on Unix hehe. Now I will spare some time studying the code and hopefully move further.

m1xram,

Thank you for your reply. I had issues with ${a[i]} syntax, because system sends me an error of 'bad substitution', but I'll try it a bit later, because I'm leaving soon. I'll reply as soon as I come back home