Very Computer

I'd like to sort a file with 9 integer values per line according
to the values of the first three "columns" and in the natural integer order.
The result would look like

-4 -4 -4 .....
...
-4 -4 -3 .....

-3 -4 -4 ....

Using
   sort -k 1n,3n ....
or
   sort -n 1,3
sorts only the first column (first integer) correctly in the order
from -5,-4,-3,-2,-1,0,1,2..., but the 2nd and 3rd column in the order
 -1,-2,-3,-4,...0,1,2,3 (mixes up the ordering for the 2nd and 3rd column).
We're using /usr/bin/sort  in the version of
 98 1.60 src/bos/usr/bin/sort/sort.c, cmdfiles, bos41c, 9536A 9/1/95
under AIX 1 4 000033727900. Is there a trick to achieve ordering
with the natural order for integers for all columns of the input?
--

Use

sort -n +0 -n +1 -n +2 file

Have fun,

     Fred
--
Fred Hucht, Institute of Theoretical Physics, University of Duisburg, Germany

"Der Koerper der algebraischen Zahlen ist kein algebraischer Zahlkoerper"
(E. Landau, Zahlentheorie (1927), Satz 718)

: I'd like to sort a file with 9 integer values per line according
: to the values of the first three "columns" and in the natural integer order.
: The result would look like

: -4 -4 -4 .....
: ...
: -4 -4 -3 .....

: -3 -4 -4 ....

: Using
:    sort -k 1n,3n ....
: or
:    sort -n 1,3
: sorts only the first column (first integer) correctly in the order
: from -5,-4,-3,-2,-1,0,1,2..., but the 2nd and 3rd column in the order
:  -1,-2,-3,-4,...0,1,2,3 (mixes up the ordering for the 2nd and 3rd column).
: We're using /usr/bin/sort  in the version of
:  98 1.60 src/bos/usr/bin/sort/sort.c, cmdfiles, bos41c, 9536A 9/1/95
: under AIX 1 4 000033727900. Is there a trick to achieve ordering
: with the natural order for integers for all columns of the input?
: --

You  have to explicitly sort on each column:

sort -kn1.1,1 -kn2.1,2 -kn3.1,3

...Tom
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tom Fleck                                                   OC Systems, Inc.
Senior Software Engineer                      Ada Systems Software and Tools

(703)359-8168 - Voice                                    FAX - (703)359-8161