UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

I've got two files that each contain a 16-digit number in positions 1-16. The first file has 63,120 entries all sorted numerically. The second file has 142,479 entries, also sorted numerically.

I want to read through each file and output the entries that appear in both. So far I've had no success with comm -12, nor with grep -f. I've had some success wtih sdiff, but it's not entirely accurate as it's missing some matches.

What I need is a script that loops through one file to see if an entry corresponds to the other file, but this is beyond my skills.

I am using sh on hp-ux 11.31, so I can't use nawk or gawk, etc.

Thank you for your assistance.

Using code tags, could you send a few actual lines from each file? Is the format of the lines consistent through the file, or does it vary?

How long are the lines in these input files?

These are 16 digit numbers, sorted numerically:

Code:

123456000017214
123456000017255
123456000018300
123456000100123
123456000100253
223456000001212
223456000013212

grepping with a large pattern file is NOT very effective, but you could at least try the logics:

Code:

$ cut -c1-16 file1 > patternfile
$ grep -f patternfile file2

BTW - why should sdiff miss some matches? This is difficult to believe!

How about awk? I do have it in HP-UX B.11.23

Code:

$ what /usr/bin/awk
/usr/bin/awk:
        $Revision: 92453-07 linker linker crt0.o B.11.16.01 030415 $
         main.c $Date: 2008/05/19 14:40:42 $Revision: r11.23/3 PATCH_11.23 (PHCO_38267)
         lib.c $Date: 2007/02/23 16:15:06 $Revision: r11.23/2 PATCH_11.23 (PHCO_36053)
         run.c $Date: 2008/05/19 14:40:53 $Revision: r11.23/1 PATCH_11.23 (PHCO_38267)
         $Revision: @(#) awk R11.23_BL2008_0602_1 PATCH_11.23 PHCO_38267

Yes, I have awk. GNU utilities like nawk or gawk aren't installed on my OS. Thank you.