UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

I have a file in which I need to add more columns to based on a key in the first file:

File1

Code:

key1,abc,123,
key2,def,456,
key3,ghi,789,

File2

Code:

key2,zyx,111,qqq,
key3,yuu,222,www,
key1,pui,333,eee,
key4,xxx,999,rrr,

I would like to create the following output:

Output

Code:

key1,abc,123,333,eee,
key2,def,456,111,qqq,
key3,ghi,789,222,www,

I'm trying to program this in Perl. My first thought is the following:
1. Fill an array with the keys in file1
2. open file2 and loop through the array on each row until i get a match then put the columns I want into a Hash of Arrays
3. Go back to the first file and apply the columns that i need to the end of the file.

However, the data sets that I'm working with are extremely big, and time is definitely an issue. Also, I think that my logic above is not the best way of doing it.

Is there a fast way to do this?

Thanks in advance guys and gals!!

Hi,