Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!security!genrad!mit-eddie!mit-vax!eagle!jpl From: jpl@eagle.UUCP (John P. Linderman) Newsgroups: net.bugs.4bsd Subject: Re: Funny sort Message-ID: <1033@eagle.UUCP> Date: Sat, 9-Jul-83 10:37:21 EDT Article-I.D.: eagle.1033 Posted: Sat Jul 9 10:37:21 1983 Date-Received: Sun, 10-Jul-83 23:49:47 EDT References: enea.126 Lines: 14 I had trouble with mail, so I'm posting this to the net. The problem with sort -t: is that it specifies a field separator, but specifies no fields. Sort just reverts to its default of using the entire line. The effect you are probably after can be obtained by sort -t: +0 -1 +1 -2 ... One might argue that that would make a good default when a -t is given but no fields are mentioned. Peeking into how sort works reveals that it isn't is easy as one would hope, so the moral is, if you use -t, specify some fields. John P. Linderman eagle!jpl Department of Total Disorder