Sort (Unix)

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{{DISPLAYTITLE:{{#if:|:|}}sort (Unix)}}

sort is a standard Unix command line program that prints the lines of its input or concatenation of all files listed in its argument list in sorted order. The -r flag will reverse the sort order.

Contents

[edit] Examples

[edit] Sort the current directory by file size

$ls -s | sort -n
  96 Nov1.txt
 128 _arch_backup.lst
 128 _arch_backup.lst.tmp
1708 NMON

[edit] Sort a file in alpha order

 $ cat phonebook
 Smith, Brett     555-4321
 Doe, John        555-1234
 Doe, Jane        555-3214
 Avery, Cory      555-4321
 Fogarty, Suzie   555-2314
   
 $ sort phonebook
 Avery, Cory      555-4321
 Doe, Jane        555-3214
 Doe, John        555-1234
 Fogarty, Suzie   555-2314
 Smith, Brett     555-4321

[edit] Sort by number

The -n option makes the program sort according to numerical value:

 $ du /bin/* | sort -n
 4       /bin/domainname
 24      /bin/ls
 102     /bin/sh
 304     /bin/csh

In old versions of sort, the +1 option made the program sort using the second column of data (+2 for the third, etc.). This is no longer supported, and instead the -k option can be used to do the same thing (note: "-k 2" for the second column):

 $ cat zipcode
 Adam  12345
 Bob   34567
 Joe   56789
 Sam   45678
 Wendy 23456
   
 $ sort -nk 2 zipcode
 Adam  12345
 Wendy 23456
 Bob   34567
 Sam   45678
 Joe   56789

[edit] Sort in reverse

The -r option just reverses the order of the sort:

 $ sort -nrk 2 zipcode
 Joe   56789
 Sam   45678
 Bob   34567
 Wendy 23456
 Adam  12345

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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