Using Variables with Sort Command[Unix]

Using Variables with Sort Command - Exercise

The `sort` command

Objective: Practice using the sort command in unix.

Exercise scoring

This exercise is worth 3 points and is auto-scored.

Background/overview

Access the volleylist file from the course project directory.

Instructions

The volleylist file should be in a subdirectory called course-project under your home directory. You will write three commands to sort the volleylist file:
1. Write a sort command to sort the volleylist file by the player’s last name.
2. Write a sort command to sort the volleylist file by the player’s zip code.
3. Create a variable containing the sort field number
$ col=2.
5. Now write a sort command to sort the volleylist file by this column.

Submitting your exercise

Use the sort command with –t: because a colon is the field separator in the volleylist file. The player’s last name is the third column in the file, so you must use +2 since column numbering begins at zero.

$ sort -t: +2 volleylist 
Ron:Stinky:Baker:10555 Apple St.:Fresno:CA:96888 
Mark:Toothpick:Castile:25 Lemon Ln.:Orange:CA:95001 
June:Chunko:Hartman:325 1st Ave.:Sacramento:CA:96012 
Anna:Spike:Smith:12 Main St.:Palo Alto:CA:94303

Use the sort command, again using –t: to indicate a colon field separator. Since the zip code is the seventh field in the file, use +6 to sort on this field.

$ sort -t: +6 volleylist Anna:Spike:Smith:12 Main St.:Palo Alto:CA:94303

Mark:Toothpick:Castile:25
Lemon Ln.:Orange:CA:95001

June:Chunko:Hartman:325 1st Ave.:Sacramento:CA:96012

Ron:Stinky:Baker:10555 Apple
St.:Fresno:CA:96888