Hello,
i need to get the ls output in 2 columns.1st column the directories and 2nd the files...
Also each column must be sorted by time...
For example if the >>ls command gives me this :
/dir2 /dir /dir1
/dir3 file1 file2
I need to take this :
/dir file1
/dir1 file2
/dir2
/dir3
...and also each column sorted by time :wall:
This should work. It adjusts the directory column size based on the largest names seen in the list:
ls -pt | awk '
/\/$/ {
dcol[didx++] = $1;
if( length( $1 ) > dmax )
dmax = length( $1 );
next;
}
{
ccol[cidx++] = $1;
next;
}
END {
fmt = sprintf( "%%-%ds %%s\n", dmax );
stop = didx > cidx ? didx : cidx;
for( i = 0; i < stop; i++ )
printf( fmt, dcol, ccol );
}
'
Very useful answer, thanks !
I try it but if a folder or file has space inside its name it doesn't give me the continue after the space..
for example if i have:
/dir 1 /file.exe
/dir 2 /dir3
I will get this answer:
/dir /file.exe
/dir
/dir3
:wall: any ideas?
Also i have to use it inside c code.I should use system(); ??
Was ls specified in the question? Otherwise they might be expecting you to use C functions.
It doesn't say exactly...
Maybe i should save the ls in a .txt (ls -l > a.txt)
and then sort the .txt but i don't know how to do that either 
I'd start with ls -F1
I was thinking more that they might be expecting you to use man opendir ("3") and man readdir ("3").
I think maybe this work
ls -t *.* > temp/files.txt
ls -pt */ >temp/dir.txt
and after somehow connect the two .txt's to be in columns ....
but i don't find a ls command to appear only the directories...
ls -pt */ gives me also the contents of the directories.
Any ideas??
---------- Post updated at 08:22 AM ---------- Previous update was at 08:21 AM ----------
It appears first the files and the the directories... but in columns ??? 
---------- Post updated at 08:28 AM ---------- Previous update was at 08:22 AM ----------
hmmm i don't know to use these two ...
i'll try reading the manual, but i think i must use something easier that i have learned in class ....
a bit ugly and could be improved:
ls -p | grep '/$' >/tmp/d.$$
ls -p | grep '[^/]$'>/tmp/f.$$
paste /tmp/d.$$ tmp/f.$$
rm /tmp/d.$$ tmp/f.$$
The -d option stops ls listing directory contents. You could also use find . -type d to list just directories.
-UPDATE-
ls -t *.* > temp/files.txt
ls -1td */ > temp/dir.txt
i have the files' name listed in column at files.txt ans the directories' name listed also in column at dir.txt
Also the lists are time-sorted 
Now i need a way to connect the two .txt's contexts and appear in columns ....
Somehow with
cat
or
sort
?!?
Any ideas?? :wall:
look into my last post!
YES !
thanks vgersh99, i didnt knew the command
paste
I think problem solved !!
mk dir temp
ls -t *.* > temp/f.txt
ls -1td */ > temp/d.txt
paste temp/f.txt temp/d.txt
Or a very small tweek to the original code I posted:
ls -pt | awk '
/\/$/ {
dcol[didx++] = $0;
if( length( $0 ) > dmax )
dmax = length( $0 );
next;
}
{
ccol[cidx++] = $0;
next;
}
END {
fmt = sprintf( "%%-%ds %%s\n", dmax );
stop = didx > cidx ? didx : cidx;
for( i = 0; i < stop; i++ )
printf( fmt, dcol, ccol );
}
'
If you're needing this from a compiled programme, I'd do the work in the programme.
Wow, that code was impressive...
It's exactly what i wanted !
The code that i use with .txts has a little problems with columns...it's not lined up..
But this is perfect i think ...!
I don't know maybe it's a little too "specialized" for my project but thanks it's really educational..
Only a question, if i need to run this command inside a C programm under UNIX shell i should use the system(); and put inside the parenthesis the command??
Anyway thanks!
I'd put it in a script and invoke the script using system(), much cleaner than trying to force the script into a C string.
#!/usr/bin/env ksh
awk '
.... awk programme goes here
'
exit $?
If your file is named list_cols.ksh and is in a directory that is in the PATH, then your system() call should just be:
system( "list_cols.ksh" );
---------- Post updated at 21:34 ---------- Previous update was at 21:07 ----------
It's messy, and I'd have to think hard about approving it during a code walk through, but you could put it in a system() call directly if you don't want to maintain the additional script:
system(
"ls -pt | awk '"
"/\\/$/ {"
"dcol[didx++] = $0;"
"if( length( $0 ) > dmax )"
"dmax = length( $0 );"
"next;"
"}"
"{"
"ccol[cidx++] = $0;"
"next;"
"}"
"END {"
"fmt = sprintf( \"%%-%ds %%s\\n\", dmax );"
"stop = didx > cidx ? didx : cidx;"
"for( i = 0; i < stop; i++ )"
"printf( fmt, dcol, ccol );"
"}'");