Sorting based on columns

Shell Programming and Scripting
1

Hi,
I want a list of entries in 3 space delimited columns. I want to sort entries based on the very first column. Rows can't be changed. For example:

If I have...

Abc Abc Acc
Bca Bda Bdd
Cab Cab Cbc
Dbc Dca Dda
Abc Abc Acc

the output should be...

Abc Abc Acc
Abc Abc Acc
Bca Bda Bdd
Cab Cab Cbc
Dbc Dca Dda

Any pointer on how to go about this will be appreciated.

Thanks

2

I got the ouptut mentioned in the orginal post by just using the sort command. Is that what your trying?

Thanks
Nagarajan Ganesan

3

The example given was not a good one I think. Basically, some columns can be empty and every row should also be arranged alphabatically.

Try...

Abc Acc

Bca Bda Bdd
Cbc
Dbc Dca Dda
Abc Abc Acc

to get....

  Abc Acc

Abc Abc Acc
Bca Bda Bdd
Cbc
Dbc Dca Dda

4 
$ echo 'Abc Acc
> Bca Bda Bdd
> Cbc
> Dbc Dca Dda
> Abc Abc Acc
> ' | sort

Abc Abc Acc
Abc Acc
Bca Bda Bdd
Cbc
Dbc Dca Dda
5

I tried with...

(blank space) Abc Acc
Bca Bda Bdd
(blank space) (blank space) Cbc
Dbc Dca Dda
Abc Abc Acc

I don't get...

Abc Abc Acc
(blank space) Abc Acc
Bca Bda Bdd
(blank space) (blank space) Cbc
Dbc Dca Dda

using sort command. It seems to be sorting using Column 1.

6

The following are the different inputs and output which i got using the sort command,
Input:1

cat /tmp/s1
    Abc Acc
Bca Bda Bdd
       Cbc
Dbc Dca Dda
Abc Abc Acc

sort -k1d /tmp/s1

OUTPUT

Abc Abc Acc
    Abc Acc
Bca Bda Bdd
       Cbc
Dbc Dca Dda

sort -k1d /tmp/s1  |  sed -e 's/^ *//g'

OUTPUT

Abc Abc Acc
Abc Acc
Bca Bda Bdd
Cbc
Dbc Dca Dda

Input 2
Note:Blank space is different

 cat /tmp/s2
  Abc Acc
Bca Bda Bdd
   Cbc
Dbc Dca Dda
Abc Abc Acc

sort -k1d /tmp/s2  |  sed -e 's/^ *//g'

OUTPUT

Abc Abc Acc
Abc Acc
Bca Bda Bdd
Cbc
Dbc Dca Dda

Hope this helps.

Thanks
Nagarajan Ganesan.

7 
sort -k1b /tmp/s1
8

Thanks anbu23. That's what I needed.